Some 18 students from Kenyan universities will represent Kenya at the Global Huawei ICT Competition scheduled for next month in China.
They will be led by Daniel Apolo Ochola, a Bachelor Science in Information Technology student at MKU, Thika Campus will departure on May 22, 2024.
The School of Computing and Informatics student emerged among the top three winners in the recently concluded Southern Africa Regional Awards which took place on March 2024 and graced by the Chief Guest CS Ministry of Education Ezekiel Machogu.
Notably, Kenya produced more winners compared to the other 15 countries regionally.
The Huawei ICT Competition, initiated in 2015 as part of the Huawei ICT Academy is a collaborative effort aimed at enriching the ICT talent pool by transferring the latest knowledge from a global technology leader.
The competition featured four distinct tracks including cloud, computing, network, and innovation, reflecting Huawei’s dedication to diverse technological fields.
A total 21 Kenyan students were awarded out of 6,000 who entered the 2023-2024 Huawei ICT Competition during the award ceremony held in Nairobi. The students also got cash prizes and Huawei products while other awards were given out for lecturers and women in technology.
Alos, 21 students got internship and job offers.
Ochola narrated that the journey began with curiosity and a drive towards evolving in the world of technology.
MKU official John Kamau said that Ochola has remained a focused student and he is making a debut in the high level competition.
“As MKU, we are proud to have produced a leading student to represent Kenya in the international arena,” said Kamau.
Ochola said that the announcement of a competition by the Huawei Talent ICT Academy, featuring tracks in cloud, computing, and networking, was a clarion call for him adding that the journey has been challenging, starting with enrollment and independent study, and then later by a preliminary examination in November 2023.
“It all began with a spark of curiosity and a drive to immerse myself in the ever-evolving world of technology.”
He lauded the institution’s cutting-edge facilities and progressive stance on ICT education for furnishing the ideal environment for him to refine his skills and gear up for the contest.
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“The national examination was a fierce contest, but with the wisdom and backing from my university, encapsulated in the motto “Unlocking Infinite Possibilities”, I secured the second position among the select few chosen based on merit,” he said.
The Huawei academy representatives recognized the potential of the competitors and prepared them for the regional final examination in February 2024.
In Kenya, Huawei has established ICT Academies in over 50 universities and colleges, providing access to cutting-edge technology training in networking, cloud computing, 5G, and AI. Annually, these academies train more than 4,000 students, contributing significantly to the ICT skills landscape.
The Huawei hardware installation base in Kenya has been recognized by the Ministry of ICT Innovation and Youth Affairs, playing a pivotal role in nurturing Kenya’s ICT talent pool and supporting national development initiatives.
The competition started with enrollment and independent studies, succeeded by a preliminary examination in November 2023.
Elsewhere, Kenyatta University (KU) recently hosted a Clean Energy Bootcamp that gathered university students and members of staff from four universities to collaborate in workshops to further develop their Clean Energy innovations.
The participants were from Uganda (Makerere University Business School), Kenya (KU and MKU), and Germany’s Albert-Ludwigs-Universität to collaborate in workshops to further develop their Clean Energy innovations.
Donatus Njoroge, the Head of Innovation, Intellectual Property and community Outreach at MKU, during the Bootcamp held at Maasai Lodge in Nairobi, said that the innovators and entrepreneurs had the opportunity to deliberate on various matters.
“The students were given opportunities to work creatively with interested business stakeholders,” he said.
The main aim of the forum was to expose the students to real world parameters.
“We wanted to encourage and energize them so that they can meet their long-term goals by exposing them to the real world needs. We also let them pitch to the business community,” he added.
By James Wakahiu
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