Former students of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) have won 77 million Uganda Shillings to further grow their innovation. Vepox Filter is a social enterprise providing innovative clean drinking water solutions to households, schools and institutions by providing the most affordable durable household filter at USD 10 per unit.
Muyita Samuel, Ninsiima Julius, and Aturinda Marvin the founders of VepoxFilter won the prize following their participation in the UNICEF Uganda Innovation Fund Challenge where they emerged winners.
The UNICEF Innovation Fund Challenge that was launched in December 2020 seeks to support entrepreneurs, civil society organizations and startups in the creation of innovative solutions and ideas geared towards contributing to solving challenges faced by children and adolescents through social innovation.
Through a co-creation process with Outbox, UNICEF and mentors on education, WASH and child protection, the winners will further receive technical assistance for six months that will include mentorship, social business training, funding as well as linkages to strategic partnerships and market for further finetuning of their ideas and scale up to benefit the most vulnerable children.
Acting UNICEF Representative in Uganda, Ms. Laura Siegrist Fouche noted, “Innovating for children remains one of UNICEF’s priorities globally and in Uganda. Today, more than ever, as we build back better after the COVID-19 pandemic, which has posed new challenges for children, innovation is key.”