KAMPALA. MTN Uganda, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has announced three winners of the "Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge." The competition is designed to combat youth unemployment and poverty, particularly that exacerbated by climate change, food insecurity, and environmental degradation, with a core focus on conserving nature as it once was.
The winners have received cash prizes, and MTN Uganda has committed to providing them with ongoing mentorship, business development support, and expert guidance to help them scale their innovative projects. These winners will also have the honour of representing Uganda at the upcoming grand finale of the Pachi Panda challenge, scheduled to take place in South Africa next year. The pan-African competition will feature participants from several countries, including Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, and South Africa. The Ugandan national finale was held today at the MTN Uganda headquarters in Kampala.
The event saw 12 shortlisted young innovators, selected from a large pool of applicants, compete fiercely. Three were ultimately crowned champions after presenting their solutions for environmental conservation.
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Uganda, Sylvia Mulinge, stated that the innovations presented by the winners demonstrate the resilience and creativity Ugandans possess in contributing to environmental sustainability. "The efforts by these young people show the resilience that Ugandans have when it comes to conserving nature," Mulinge said.
She further emphasised that supporting these young innovators is a crucial step towards solving the challenges that plague the planet. "Supporting these youths will help in solving the challenges that are destroying the world, the things that destroy our nature," she added.
The Country Director for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Ivan Tumuhimbise, praised the initiative, highlighting its potential to bring about significant environmental change. "This initiative is set to change the state of our nature," Tumuhimbise stated.
MTN Uganda has an established history of implementing various programs aimed at empowering Ugandans and improving their livelihoods.
