TEN students from universities across Kenya took part in the Huawei-sponsored Leadership, Employability, Advancement, and Possibilities (LEAP) Digital Talent Study Camp in Shenzhen from Nov. 17 to 23.

During the camp, which was attended by students from across Sub-Saharan Africa, participants underwent a weeklong training program aimed at equipping them with advanced digital skills and fostering innovation.

One Kenyan team developed an innovative solution called Mafreeco, inspired by the Swahili term “mafuriko” (floods). Mafreeco proposes a smart system to tackle Kenya’s recurrent flooding crisis by clearing drainage systems of trash and debris.

The Mafreeco team’s creativity and technical prowess earned them a spot in the Tech4Good finals, where they competed against standout teams from South Africa, Mauritius, and Malawi.

Ashley Yigo, a member of the Mafreeco team, said, “It was an invaluable experience — gaining global insights into technology and networking.”

The camp also featured technical courses on topics like 5G and 5.5G technologies, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, as well as a leadership workshop. It culminated in the Tech4Good competition, where participants from different countries formed teams to create technology-driven solutions for pressing societal challenges.

Beyond the competition, the study camp provided students with hands-on learning and exposure to cutting-edge technologies, reinforcing the importance of digital skills for the future. Participants also had the opportunity to engage in cultural exchanges, further strengthening regional collaboration.

The LEAP Digital Talent Study Camp, launched by Huawei in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022, is part of its broader initiative to cultivate a digitally skilled workforce across Africa.

(SD-Xinhua)