TNM Smart Challenge winners unveiled: Lilongwe based mHub wins trip to US

Martenitech application developed by three young people from mHub in Lilongwe has emerged the winner of 2106 first ever ICT competition Smart Challenge. The application was developed to assists the public on health related issues.

The 15 participants were short-listed into the final pool from which panel of independent judges including from Facebook, mHub selected the finalists whose ultimate prize is a trip to Silicon Valley in the United States of America (U.S).

Launched on October 5, 2015 the TNM Smart Challenge provided students, pupils and their communities a platform to showcase innovation in mobile application development and over 30 entries made to the final list of voting phase.

The smart challenge student’s winners Daniel Mvalo, Walter Moyo and ThandieMagasa emerged the altimate winners and received Samsung edge and trip to USA.

While in smart kid category Panache Jere who developed Talk to me application scooped firs and got an apple and a trip also to USA.

Speaking in Lilongwe during the unveiling ceremony TNM’s Chief Executive Officer Douglas Stevenson described the competition as successful and attained its objectives.

“It has been exciting journey since we launched the Smart Challenge competition in October last year and as the company we believe the Smart challenge has lived to its intended purpose of exposing talents on ICT,” said Stevenson.

Stevenson said as a telecommunications company is committed to create an enabling environment for innovations in ICT.

“It is our continuous hope that this competition became the trendsetter for various ICT innovations for youth of the country as demonstrated by the innovative and brilliant applications that we received from the participants,” he said

In his remarks Principal Secretary in the ministry of Information Justin Saidi commended TNM for coming up with the initiative which provided platform for enabling and empowering young Malawians realize their potential in ICT.

“Through Smart Challenge, TNM is providing a platform for enabling and empowering young Malawians realize their potential in ICT. I am proud to learn that some of our dreamers who have won in this contest will be presented with the life-changing opportunity of going to Silicon Valley in the USA. Silicon Valley which is an exposure to our young people,” said Saidi

Saidi said government believes in the power of ICT to revolutionise the thinking and way of life.

“ICT has potential to add value to our agro-based economy, which now faces numerous challenges, key of which is climate change which is negating output. If properly harnessed, ICT products and services could become an alternative source of GDP through job creation,” he said.

The TNM CEO also announced that all participants of the competition will get an apple as consolidation prizes.

The winners who are from Smart Students and one from Smart kid category will travel to USA, Silicon Valley where they will tour Facebook, Google, Apple and Stanford University. Smart Communitywinners have received computers for a lab

TNM engaged MHub, Facebook, Google, Opera Software and IBM as technology partners for this initiative.

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