SINA (Social Innovation Academy), together with its SINA Communities Cosmo Foundation in Kampala (Uganda) and Social Entrepreneurship Academy (SENTA) in Bukavu (DRC), co-hosted the Social Impact Award across all of East Africa. Fifteen youth-led ventures from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, the DRC, Burundi, and Rwanda took the stage after eight weeks of online incubation to pitch to an expert jury and rally public support through community voting. The atmosphere was part marketplace of ideas, part reunion—alumni, mentors and new founders trading lessons, contacts, and encouragement.
Social Impact Award (SIA) is a global program that helps young people discover social entrepreneurship and launch their first ventures through training, incubation, community, and seed awards. Hosted by SINA and running across two language clusters in East Africa—English (UG, KE, TZ, SS) and French (DRC, BI, RW)—this year’s edition culminates at the SIA Global Summit in Ljubljana, Slovenia (18–21 Nov 2025), where the East African winners will join winners from also 17 other countries from around the world.
Winners (with invitation to the SIA Global Summit):
- Community Vote — Candela Habitus (Uganda): Outdoor and sensory experiences, plus supportive tools, helping children with autism build independence and social connection. The team plans to equip their space with therapy tools, expand awareness, and pursue a Ministry of Education recognition to serve schools more widely.
- Jury Selection — Natural Uhai Food (DRC): Nutritious, locally sourced foods designed to prevent and stabilize diabetes.
- Jury Selection — Nest Guard Ltd (Rwanda): Solar- and electric-powered smart incubators and a supply of fertilized eggs for rural poultry farmers; the award will support product development and breeding stock to improve egg quality.
The finals were judged by a panel bringing both expertise and lived experience: Marcus Warry (My Social Impact), Nantongo Barbra Jane (SIA alumna and 2022 finalist turned judge), and Aisha Ali (advocate for youth and women in innovation). Their questions pressed for clarity on customer segments, unit economics, and measurable outcomes, mirroring the focus of the incubation that preceded the event.
English-speaking cluster finalists (Top 9):
- Candela Habitus (Uganda) — Inclusive outdoor activities and sensory tools for children with autism.
- Danylual Poultry Farm (South Sudan) — Affordable, high-quality broiler chicks for smallholder farmers.
- Safari Queens Rider (Tanzania/Zanzibar) — Female-led tours and transport tailored for solo travelers.
- Soo Qasil — Natural skincare powered by qasil.
- Silicon High School — Refugee-led secondary school blending academics with tech-driven entrepreneurship.
- Kibagenge Visionary Voices — Mentorship that helps out-of-school adolescents regain confidence and agency.
- Knowledge in Books: Digital Learning Hub — Computers, e-learning and digital-skills training for rural youth.
- Orya Briqs — Clean-burning briquettes from farm waste, reducing deforestation and household smoke.
- Empowerment Through Enterprise — Daily-repaid micro-loans plus financial literacy for small businesses.
French-speaking cluster finalists (Top 6):
- Nest Guard Ltd (Rwanda) — Automatic egg incubators (solar/electric) and fertilized eggs for rural farmers.
- Natural Uhai Food (DRC) — Dietary products that help prevent and stabilize diabetes using local ingredients.
- Inspired Hands (DRC) — Eco-bags from plastic waste, creating jobs for women.
- Organic Hair (DRC) — 100% natural hair-care for a healthy scalp and flourishing hair.
- Décorespo (DRC) — Thermo-compressed boards from plastic waste for eco-friendly furniture.
- Green Briquettes (Burundi) — Briquettes from agricultural waste to replace firewood and curb deforestation.
What stood out in Kampala was the ingenuity—clean energy, circular economy, inclusive education, and health—and pragmatism. Teams spoke clearly about distribution, certification, and partnerships. For SINA and our partners, this is exactly the pipeline the region needs: capable young founders building solutions to social and environmental challenges that create jobs and dignity while addressing real community needs.
SINA is grateful to every mentor, judge, donor, and voter who made the East Africa edition possible. The three winners now carry the region’s flag to Slovenia; the full cohort carries forward a shared commitment to execution. For aspiring changemakers, the message is simple: your idea can become a venture. For supporters and donors, your backing turns first steps into lasting impact and the seed capital that helps early-stage teams cross the starting line.
This video captures the voices of the winners and the atmosphere of the final pitch event in Kampala: