Data for Local Impact Innovation Challenge (DLIIC) is delighted to congratulate the 61 finalists (12 organizations and 49 individuals) who reached the pitch session stage in the DLIIC Third Challenge Window, which focused on Youth Employability and Economic Empowerment.
The DLIIC Third Challenge Window was launched on 1 December 2017 and closed on 30 January 2018. The challenge focused on Sustainable Development Goal 8, which promotes inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. Ensuring economic empowerment and opportunity, particularly for young people, is a priority for Tanzania. Economic empowerment contributes to other development goals, such as improved health (including ending the AIDS epidemic), gender equality, and eliminating poverty and hunger. The specific challenge themes were:
- Strengthen alignment between employers’ needs and youths’ skills; and prepare young people for the job market,
- Foster economic empowerment of youth, and
- Develop and encourage linkages between young people and economic opportunities.
The Third Challenge Window was an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to generate new innovations, technologies, and processes that use data to address the economic and employment issues facing Tanzania’s youth. More than 365 applicants submitted ideas for how to increase youth employability and economic empowerment. After thorough review and evaluation, our judging panel of local experts selected 68 applications to reach the final stage of the challenge – a live pitch to the judging panel and an audience. The pitch event took place on 28-29 March at the dLab premises in Dar es Salaam, and 61 finalists attended.
As he was winding-up the pitch session, Mr. Agapiti Manday, the DLIIC Project Manager, said DLIIC is excited about the increased number of applicants in the Third Challenge as compared to previous challenges. “In this challenge we received over 365 applications. The numbers have gone high compared to the previous challenges. I would like to congratulate the finalists for reaching the final stage because this time around DLI challenge competition was really stiff. Everyone was really prepared for pitching,” said Mr. Manday.
“Having been picked for pitching, it’s a milestone for me,” said Mr. Daniel Kapinga one of the DLI Third Challenge Window Finalists. He added, “It is the opportunity for Kilimo Forum. We are heading into building a big data in agriculture for Tanzania, which will build agri-market intelligence support for farmers to make decisions on what to grow, process and export. I hope with DLI Third Challenge Window, we will reach this goal. I’m happy to be among the finalists.”
DLI Innovation Challenge has already provided grants to 22 winners from the First and Second Challenges. These two challenge windows aimed at reducing the risks of HIV/AIDS and improving healthcare services in the local communities in Tanzania. Learn more about how these sub-grantees are leveraging data to tackle health challenges through the Winner Profiles.
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