Esther Kimani, the inventor of a solar-powered tool that utilizes AI and machine learning-enabled cameras to detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases swiftly, was named the winner of Africa’s biggest engineering prize, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, at a live final event in Nairobi, Kenya, on 13 June 2024.
Esther Kimani is the third woman and the second Kenyan innovator to win the Africa Prize, receiving £50,000.
Africa Prize Chair of Judges Malcolm Brinded said: “These awards form part of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s investment of over £1 million to African innovators through grants, prizes and accelerator programmes during the tenth anniversary year of the Africa Prize.”
The three runners up, who were each awarded £15,000 to develop their innovations, were:
👉 Eco Tiles, Kevin Maina, Kenya:
An environmentally friendly roofing material made from recycled plastic. Stronger and lighter than clay or concrete tiles, the innovation is a dual solution to plastic pollution and high building costs.
The innovative manufacturing process involves a custom-made extrusion machine that blends different plastics at varying temperatures, eliminating the need for energy-intensive processes like kiln-burning and reducing carbon emissions. The tiles are enhanced with UV stabilisation chemicals and construction sand to improve durability and sturdiness.
👉 La Ruche Health, Rory Assandey, Côte d’Ivoire:
La Ruche Health connects communities to vital health information, advice, and services through “Kiko”, an AI chatbot tool available on WhatsApp and mobile apps, and a digital backend solution to streamline documentation, billing, and data sharing for practitioners.
By May 2024, the AI has facilitated over 150,000 user interactions and 189 in-home and teleconsultation appointments, processing over $18,000 in medical billings, illustrating its effectiveness and scalability.
👉 Yo-Waste, Martin Tumusiime, Uganda:
Addressing Uganda’s mounting waste crisis, Yo-Waste is a location-based mobile application that connects homes and businesses to independent agents for efficient on-demand rubbish collection and disposal.
Yo-Waste currently serves over 1,500 customers including homes, businesses, and waste collection agents, with a goal to reach 20,000 users by 2026.
