Nigerian Ada Umeofia, 4 other Africans win Google prize

A 19-year old Nigerian, Ms Ada Umeofia of the WeBuilt alongside four other African young innovators have emerged winners in the 2012  Zeitgeist Young Minds, an opportunity for young people to showcase how they are making a positive impact in our world.

Others include Joel Mwale of Kenya, Jordan Ridge and Sibusiso Tshabalala from South Africa, Simeon Oriko of Kenya.

Disclosing this, the Policy and Government Relations Manager Africa, Google, Ms Ory Okolloh, said they were inspired by these young Africans and look forward to following their progress.

She said that this year’s winners have now been named and organisers were very excited to see that of the 10 inspiring young people selected from around the world five were African.
 

According to her, Ada Umeofia, 19 from Nigeria through her WeBuilt offers Africa a design-centered social enterprise that redesigns and constructs market stalls for poverty-stricken Africans by recycling found building materials in slums. View the video:

Also, the 19-year Kenyan Joel Mwale, exhibits his social contribution through Skydrop Enterprise Inc, which has brought safe drinking water to a community of 5,000, thus becoming a profitable enterprise from selling bottled water across Kenya and Uganda. View the video:

Additionally, Jordan Ridge, 23 from South Africa, through Made by Mosaic; a job creation project for women in South Africa addresses the challenges of economic development in the townships. View the video:

Ada Umeofia

While Sibusiso Tshabalala, 20 from South Africa, developed reading clubs and a library renovation programme in South Africa to encourage critical thinking and thoughtful debate within local high schools. View the video:

Even as another Kenyan, Simeon Oriko, 23 uses The Kuyu Project to train school children on how to use social media for social change and promotes digital literacy. View the video:

ITRealms Online recalls that earlier this year, Google had invited creative young minds to apply to be part Zeitgeist Young Minds, an opportunity for young people to showcase how they are making a positive impact in the world.

Remmy Nweke
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