More than 20 innovators from Kenya joined 20 contemporaries from Basque, a region that spans the border between France and Spain, to take part in the Africa Basque Challenge (ABC). The challenge was to find social and technical solutions to bridge the urban-rural divide in today’s rapidly developed world.
The winning team, comprising of Kenyans and Basque County, came up with an idea called HOCO which seeks to boost sustainable development in rural areas by producing construction materials out of coconut waste. They won a €6,000 fund and six months mentoring to help shape their idea.
HOCO’s winning team comprised of Gaston Okamika an entrepreneur, Friday Roseline a social worker, Shelia Koech, an environmental scientist, Alba Resano an entrepreneur and Pol Molas, an architect.
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Sharing her experience about taking part in the Challenge, Sheila Koech said, “ABC has been an eye opener for me. Our team spirit was exceptional and I believe that it played a big role towards our success. Going forward our teamwork will be stronger than before. I now believe that with determination and hard work everything is possible. Our multicultural and multidisciplinary background will go a long way in defining our objective. I am proud to be part of ABC.”
Friday Roseline said, “We are honored to receive the prize, the journey was not easy, starting from the moment when the project was only a small idea until today much work has been done. Challenges also arose, but working together as a team transformed the idea into reality.”
Alba Resano, amongst the winning team from Spain added: “Participating in the ABC has allowed us to meet and build something incredible to make a change. From now on, we have a commitment with ourselves and Kenyan society to make this happen!”
Asier Alea, General Manager of trade promotion and tourism at the government of Biscay said, “The ABC is the first hub-to-hub competition for entrepreneurs, linking innovators in Kenya and the Basque Country. Kenya was chosen because it is known as the Silicon Valley of Africa and it’s a thriving hub for entrepreneurs. Providing a dynamic ecosystem for start-ups. It also it home to and shares co-operative values. The idea is to broaden the innovators horizons, show them the world is their market and that all entrepreneurs think the same regardless of their geography.”
A sum of €3,000 was also awarded to the three runner ups to help develop their ideas. Some of the final innovation pitch from the innovations included, an idea to reuse charcoal from food waste into aromas for culinary use, business plans for a zero emission electric-motorbike and a scheme to give access to safe and re-usable sanitary products for women and young girls in rural areas. The selected entrepreneurs were selected from over 200 young professionals that applied.
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