Kenya’s FunKidz has won the Women4Tech award at the Glomo Awards 2017 (Global Mobile Awards). They won for their Kidz Go Tech program which they run in collaboratin with Safaricom Women in Technology (WIT).
The Kidz Go Tech program was started in 2012 and it teaches tech to children aged 5-13 with an aim of enabling them to become creators of technology. It teaches children by introducing them to the use of interactive kits/tools that simulate real world objects and robots that move, light up and make sounds. The program has trained over 750 children and 39 different experiments have been conducted with the kids.
FunKidz was founded in 2010 by Ciiru Waweru and manufactures children’s furniture. It now employs 23 people and sells in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
The Glomo Awards rewards innovations in the mobile industry that are organized by GSMA and presented at Mobile World Congress. Women4Tech is a new GSMA programme that is focused on addressing and reducing the gender gap in the industry. Under Women4Tech a Mobile Industry Leadership award was established both for individuals and organizations. Kidz Go Tech won the latter.
The winners and nominees in the two categories are below:
8b. Women4Tech – Mobile Industry Leadership (Individuals)
Iridescent – Ms Anar Simpson – Winner
Digital Leadership Institute – Cheryl D. Miller, Founder – Nominee
MTN Nigeria Communications Limited – Lynda Saint – Nwafor – Nominee
8c Women4Tech – Mobile Industry Leadership (Organisation)
Funkidz for Kidz Go Tech – Winner
Digital Leadership Institute – Nominee
SAFARICOM WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY (WIT)- Nominee
Full list of the 2017 Glomo Awards winners is HERE.