Lusaka's Ubongo Game Lab scoops $1,000 in DCA Trust Competition

The Pan-African trust program of DotConnectAfrica (DCA) has announced the 2016/17 winners of the Miss.Africa Seed Funding for STEM Programs. 

Abo Coders, Nigeria emerged winner of the grand prize of Five Thousand United States Dollars (5000 USD) while Bahir Dar University STEM Center, Ethiopia and Ubongo Game Lab, Zambia scooped the second prize package of One Thousand United States Dollars (1,000 USD) under the Geographic/ Country Category for initiatives that create socio-economic value for women by effectively leveraging tech opportunities. 

In 2016 during the Women’s History Month, Miss.Africa announced its Inaugural winners. This year, they announced winners during the commemoration of the annual Africa Day, a celebration of the Continent and its people. 

The second round of Miss.Africa Seed Fund received over 200 applications from 24 countries across Africa. 

Speaking at this special day for Africa, and milestone of Miss.Africa Second Seed Fund round, Ms. Sophia Bekele, founder of the Seed Fund congratulated the winners of the 2016/17 round saying; “The Miss.Africa Seed Fund supports diversity and creativity. We are very honored to be part of building the tech industry in Africa, particularly of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) value. Every effort counts. To achieve the second round is a milestone for us and we are looking at the lessons we have learned through years to enhance and make the Miss.Africa Seed Fund more rewarding. We saw over 25 girls train to become mobile and web app developers and more others learning new programing language, as well as developing tech centers and training throughout Africa. This year we look forward to adding more into the system, because if she learns to code #SheTechsAfrica.” 

And Sithembile of Ubongo Game Lab, Zambia said Ubongo Game Lab is pleased. To scoop the second prize. 

“Ubongo Game Lab is pleased to announce that we have been selected to receive second prize for the 2016/2017 cycle of the Miss.Africa Seed Fund Program, an initiative by the DotConnectAfrica Trust, for our Games Plus Girls initiative. This grant is one of many awards given to support women and girls in STEM fields to expand initiatives that will increase digital opportunities for women in IT related training, jobs & leadership roles. Through this grant and with the support of our local partners, we are anticipating significant growth for our next bootcamp & the events leading up to it.” 

Ubongo Game Lab is a community technology startup based in Lusaka Zambia, one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa with fast growing infrastructure sector. 

The lab is led by Ms. Sithembile Ncube abd is focused in gaming technology and it’s use within Zambia. 

It trains women and girls on how to create games using basic programing languages. 

The Game Lab is mentored by Mr. Lukonga Lindunda, the co-founder and Executive Director of BongoHive, Zambia’s first and only Technology & Innovation Hub which houses the Ubongo Game Lab. 

Meanwhile, the grand prize winner the Abocoders initiative is located in the Northern Region of Nigeria. 

The startup headed by Ms. Simi Olusola, purposes to provide secure & sustainable livelihoods for young women in Northern Nigeria using ICT training with an emphasis on software development as a means of empowerment. Simi Olusola, the Abocoders program director said; “Everyone at AboCoders is excited about receiving this award. We are excited not because of the money in itself but because of what the award represents. It represents opportunities of a better life for our beneficiaries. Working in an underserved region where things seem not to get any better can be a bit discouraging but we work always to retain the hope whose flames have been made brighter by this award. At AboCoders, we count our success in lives and with this award we will be able to reach more lives and open more opportunities for them to get a better life. We are thankful to the Miss.Africa Seed Fund team for believing in our vision and choosing to support us this way. On behalf of all the young ladies that we serve and represent, we say thank you to the Miss.Africa Seed Fund!!!” Credit: DCA Trust