Kenyan Students Win U.S.-Kenya AI Challenge With Maternal Health Innovation

A team of Kenyan University student as has won the Stars of Innovation: U.S.-Kenya AI Challenge after they engineered an AI-powered platform in a bid to tackle maternal health challenges in the country.

The team outshone seven other finalists in the challenge after pitching 'MediBora', an AI-backed system that enables continuous monitoring of expectant mothers, early risk alerts, and real-time communication between patients and healthcare providers.

In a statement on Thursday, January 15, the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi confirmed that the five-member team was drawn from different universities across the country and is majoring in various teaching and medicine-related courses.

"MediBora was selected from more than 70 Kenyan students and young professionalswho took part in the challenge, working in teams across five key shared areas: agriculture and food security; health and wellbeing; finance and enterprise; education and expertise; and infrastructure and energy," the embassy said.

"The five-member team drawn from different universities included a software and security expert engineer, a business analyst, a data scientist, a biomedical engineer, and a software engineer," it added.

According to the students,the platform works across mobile apps, SMS, USSD, and voice channels, which enables it to be accessible even in low-connectivity and low-literacy settings.

Lauding the group, Regional Public Engagement Specialistat the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Mark Burrell, maintained that such challenges are fundamental in unlocking the untapped potential that youths have in the technology ecosystem.

“The United States leads in artificial intelligence because we focus on application, standards, and results. Programs like this prepare talented young people to work with U.S. technology, meet global standards, and compete in the international economy,” Burrell said.

The students have been invited to compete in an upcoming U.S. Embassy-supported competition, which will be held in Nairobi, Nakuru, and Eldoret later this month.

The embassy noted that the upcoming challenge will offer training, mentorship, and a chance to win cash prizes.

In addition to honing the technology expertise of students in the country, the embassy is optimistic that such challenges will be fundamental in reinforcing diplomatic ties between Kenya and the U.S.

"The Stars of Innovation Challenge is part of the U.S. Embassy’s broader effort to strengthen U.S.-Kenya economic and technology partnerships by promoting American innovation, U.S. technology standards, and entrepreneurship through American Spaces across the country," the embassy stated.