This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
Published on September 17, 2019, the Africa Tech Challenge in Nairobi saw Tanzania and Kenya's technical colleges emerge victorious, securing significant manufacturing contracts and scholarships.
Among the competitors were technical and vocational education institutions from Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Zambia, but Tanzania and Kenya's colleges stood out, taking home over $100,000 in contracts and several scholarships.
Kenya's Meru Technical College and Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology in Tanzania each won a $50,000 contract to produce and export 'Made in Africa' parts to China, partnering with Chinese firm Avic International.
Kenya's Industry Principal Secretary, Betty Maina, emphasized the importance of developing skills that enhance value addition and promote locally produced goods.
'It is crucial to forge partnerships with organisations such as AVIC to channel resources towards developing our human capital,' she said.
Three Kenyan students, Apollo Godwin, Christopher Mbembela, and Oscar Kimathi Kithinji, were awarded full scholarships to study in China, while Kenya Technical Training College, Kabete National Polytechnic, and Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology each received the Jin Yetao Scholarship worth $5,000.
