1) About RAN

The ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) is one of the seven global development labs that make up USAID’s Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN). RAN is led by Makerere University working in partnership with Stanford University and Tulane University. The Network comprises 20 African universities spread over 16 countries.

The core objective of RAN is to promote the development and scaling of sustainable, innovative solutions and approaches that can help strengthen the capacities of vulnerable African communities to mitigate, adapt to or recover from natural or man made shocks and stresses, thereby strengthening their resilience. The Eastern Africa Resilience Innovation Lab (RILab) of RAN is located in Makerere University with a mandate to source innovative ideas M in line with RAN’s thematic focus M from within the academic community and support their incubation and piloting.

The Resilience Innovation Challenge 

How can the resilience of communities affected by the effects of climate change and chronic conflicts be strengthened through interventions that support and strengthen existing processes and institutions? RAN’s Eastern Africa Resilience Innovation Lab is seeking to identify innovative solutions or approaches with the potential to demonstrably strengthen the resilience of communities affected primarily by i) the effects of climate variability and ii) the effects of acute and chronic conflicts.

3) Get Involved
Do you have an innovative, demonstrable solution or approach that has the potential to strengthen the resilience of individuals, families or communities affected by the effects of climate variability and/or chronic conflict? Do you have an idea that innovatively addresses either the vulnerability factors or builds on the adaptive strategies?
If so, please register to participate in the upcoming Innovations Exhibition taking place on 14th March 2014 at the Main Hall, Makerere University Main Campus from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. If you are not sure whether your solution or approach fits well within the themes described, go ahead and register, and let us be the judge!

4) Requirements for Participation

This exhibition will provide an opportunity for faculty, students and local innovators to showcase their innovations, and for RAN to identify promising innovations that can be accelerated through RAN’s Resilience Innovation Acceleration Program at the EA RILab. The exhibition is open to innovators who meet the following requirements/criteria:

  • Open to ANY faculty member or student innovator; including recent graduates (maximum one year post-graduation).
  • ALL disciplines are eligible to participate as RAN has adopted a multi-disciplinary approach to problem solving.
  • Innovations should clearly demonstrate their potential to strengthen/build the resilience of communities to natural and/or man made stresses and shocks.
  • Innovations can be in the form of ‘technologies’ or ‘approaches’, and there should be a demonstrable proof of concept for the solution/ approach.
  • Innovations that build on indigenous/traditional knowledge are particularly interesting from RAN’s perspective of building sustainable solutions with a high adoption potential in the local communities.

5) Registration Procedure
All innovators are required to register online, by filling out an electronic
form available at the RAN website: www.ranlab.org or at this link:
http://flaturl.com/zbbM. Registration closes at midnight 9th March 2014

6) Benefits to the winning teams
Inclusion into RAN’s Resilience Innovation Acceleration Program, where teams will receive:

  • Technical support and guidance*
  • Mentorship and Business Coaching
  • Linkages to innovators and mentors within the HESN
  • Linkages to local, regional and international expertise and contacts
  • Some financial support to further develop and pilot the solution or approach towards scaling

*Technical support includes close guidance from our research team. Our expert research team is currently conducting quantitative and qualitative studies on climate variability, chronic conflict and resilience in Eastern Africa. The findings and results from these studies will closely support innovation development, implementation, and ultimately evaluate innovation impact and success.

Attachments

Attachment Name Attachment Type
Call for Applications-Resilient Africa Network (RAN) DOC PDF PS