Tapping Innovations: Beyond the Class Approach!
About You
Location
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Kenya
Your idea
Country your work focuses on:
Kenya
Website URL
What stage is your project in?
Idea phase
YouTube Upload
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
<$100
Name Your Project
Tapping Innovations: Beyond the Class Approach!
Describe Your Idea
Innovation
Describe your idea in fewer than 50 words.
My idea expands on Science Congress, a program in the school curriculum for the last 47 years through the Min of Edu to give life to science innovations and identify those that can be modified, value added and replicated for social change. We are partnering with institutions of higher learning in Kenya and abroad (Jomo Kenyatta U of Agri & Tech and Denver U's to form a talent/innovation academy
What makes your idea unique?
The main departure point is that for 47 years this programme has been running with the optimal level of any idea being to win a certificate after which the idea is never heard of again. There is also the link towards building the ideas and patenting the ideas generated by these truly brilliant youngsters. This means that we will work with the student so that hi/her idea can see life in a way that shall bring social change in the communities they live in. We also intend to link the students with the industries in which their ideas fall in.
What is your area of work? (Please check as many as apply.)
Youth development , Sustainable development , Mentoring .
What impact have you had?
We attended this year’s Science Congress and identified five potential ideas with which we intend to work with for development to practical implementation. These ideas will be exhibited in various local and international conferences/forums. From this initial participation at the Science Congress 2009 we have received numerous enquiries from other schools that may or may not have participated at the Congress to visit them and see their innovations too.
Describe the primary problem(s) that your project is addressing.
The desperation of the youth and hopelessness that is turning our youth into unsavoury characters whose times are spent in crime, and drugs. Every day in the newspapers there are several stories on how the youth d are turning into gangs for a way to sustain their lives. This just seems wrong knowing as we do, that these youngsters are the same ones who had such brilliant ideas as those presented at the Science Congress for more than 47 years. We are thus trying to inspire the young people into another way of life that is conceptualized and implemented by themselves.
Describe the steps that your organization is taking to make your project successful.
1. Partnering with universities – for research hand turning the ideas into practical community solutions for social change. The universities will also assist in patenting these ideas for the students and assist them in developing the ideas;
2. Partnering with the industries in which the conceptualized ideas fall in, so as to have the financial backing of ensuring that these innovations see the light of day as solutions to many social issues;
3. Partnering with the government through the Ministry of Education on the search for talent/innovation among the students in all the corners of the country;
4. Working on the financial component to ensure that the idea has sound investment for proper and sustainable implementation
Impact
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Success in Year 1:
• Strengthening the collaborations discussed above ;
• Developing confidence with the partners;
• Impartiality of the project so that it is not affilitted to any cultural, social, religious, political or economic category
Success in Year 2:
Perfecting one or two ideas to a large scale that shall serve as the working illustrations of our success and expected future success of the project
Success in Year 3:
Having an industry that can consume the idea perfected in year two in a practical and sustainable manner.
Do you have a business plan or strategic plan? (yes/no)
yes
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 1:
Commitment to the idea
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 2:
Structuring the idea in a practical and easy to implement manner
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization? STEP 3:
Actual implementation
Describe the expected results of these actions.
• University investment on research for the ideas;
• Patenting property rights for the young people;
• Revenue generation for young people through their own innovations and talents;
• Inspiring the youth and youngsters that their innovations mean more than just a certificate, not only to them but also to the communities they live in
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
The local, regional and international recognition of an idea I had on reinventing the toilet called the Iko toilet. People and organizations bought into the idea and the Iko toilet has now taken life and is bringing social change in our community. Therefore I want to also assist other people, especially the young ones, to ensure that their ideas also see the light of day, with proper recognition for social development.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
I am a person who thinks out to the box. I repackaged the toilet into something that has not only made waves in the sanitation sector but has also been recognized as a social enterprise. I am an Ashoka Fellow and the 2009 winner of the Schwab Africa Social Entrepreneur Award at the World Economic Forum. I am married with two children. I am an architect by training.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
I participated and won a Changemakers competition on water and sanitation in 2008
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Political upheavals
Financing source
yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Ecotact
How long has this organization been operating? (i.e. less than a year; 1-5 years; more than 5 years)
1-5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs? (yes/no)
yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses? (yes/no)
yes
The Story
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government? (yes/no)
yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
These partnerships ensure that the project will:
• Be carried out through as many schools in Kenya as possible;
• Have proper research and patenting rights to ensure that the ideas are practical and sustainable;
• Have proper backing from the industries in which they fall in so as to give solutions to many social ills in the society today.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the total number of employees and total number of volunteers at your organization?
8 volunteers, both foreign and local; 100 employees
What is your organization's business classification?
Non-profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Have you received funding from any of the following groups? (Please check as many as apply.)
Ashoka , Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , CIDA (Canada) , Schwab Foundation , United Nations Development Progam (UNDP) .
 | 148 weeks agoJaqi Kamau said: I think the need for talent academies for various class and non class activities for students cannot be overemphasized. ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 151 weeks agoDavid Kuria submitted this idea. |
