Better Cities Challenge

The Better Cities challenge is a programme that worked with young people to create social enterprises that address the problems facing Kenyan cities. The themes of the challenge was crafted around 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals

- 6: Clean water and sanitation
- 7: Clean energy
- 11:Sustainable cities and communities.

The boot camp, which was held from 12th to 15th October 2020, brought together 16 young people. This was after 25 pre-selected youth underwent an online hackathon and 16 aged 18 to 35 (11 females and five males) were selected to participate in the four-day boot camp

The programme resulted in the co-creation of five startups.

E-safiri – The team developed electric charging stations for two and three wheelers to help increase the adoption of e-mobility for commercial use in an effort to reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector;

Casa – The team plans to use ultra-thin wall technology for slum upgrading;

Ufanisi Power – The team plans to create a hybrid solar-powered system that can power homes and small businesses appliances. The programme resulted in the co-creation of five startups.

Usalama wa Kijinsia – The team plans to start a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) initiative that will act as a bridge between Non-Governmental Organisations and safe houses that host both the male and female victims

Betco Solutions – To reduce the carbon footprint the team wants to make a machine that uses organic waste to create bioethanol fuel at home.

The three winning teams underwent incubation and mentorship that was concluded in March 2021.