Africa Prize selects 2021 shortlist of entrepreneurial innovators shaping the continent

This year’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation shortlists includes the creators of a low-cost ventilator powered by water instead of electricity, a digital financial services solution that audits users based on their online social profiles, and sustainable packaging developed from banana stems to help battle plastic pollution and deforestation.

The Africa Prize, run every year by the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering, awards crucial commercialisation support to ambitious African innovators who are transforming their communities through scalable engineering solutions. 2021 shortlist represents nine countries including, for the first time, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ethiopia and the Gambia. Six of the 16-strong shortlist are female innovators.

The programme has a track record of identifying engineering entrepreneurs with significant potential, many of whom have gone on to achieve greater commercial success and social impact.

A unique package of support – running from December 2020 to July 2021 – is being provided to the shortlisted innovators to help them accelerate their businesses. The benefits of selection include comprehensive and tailored business training, bespoke mentoring, media and communications training, funding and access to the Academy’s network of high-profile, experienced engineers and business experts based in the UK and across Africa, as well as access to the alumni network after the programme concludes.

This year marks the first fully digital programme, providing intensive expert guidance and community support through a mixture of an online group and one-on-one sessions.

Following this period of support, four finalists will be selected and invited to pitch their improved innovation and business plan to the judges and a live audience. A winner will be selected to receive £25,000, and three runners up will receive £10,000 each.

Emma Wade Smith OBE, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa at the UK Department for International Trade said: “It makes me very proud to be part of this initiative that demonstrates so clearly and practically the power of partnerships between Africa and the UK.

The range of innovations and innovators in this year’s shortlist offer an insight into Africa’s extraordinary diversity and talent and illustrate the importance we all place on nurturing and supporting Africa’s self-starters to create and scale sustainable and inclusive products and services that will help us rebuild our economies to be greener, cleaner and more resilient.

“The Africa Prize helps to accelerate entrepreneurial capacity and ecosystems. I am excited to follow the progress of this year’s cohort, and am certain we will see many of these inventions go on to create and sustain jobs and benefit our societies, as so many of the previous participants in the Africa Prize have done.”

Alumni of the Prize are projected to impact over three million lives in the next five years and have already created over 1500 jobs and raised more than $14 million in grants and equity.

Africa Prize alumni have also played an important role in supporting the continent’s COVID-19 pandemic response, with the programme’s training and additional Academy funding helping them pivot their businesses and address community needs.

Together, they reached over 220,000 people with innovations including affordable hand sanitiser, remote education, 3D-printed PPE, access to finance for smallholder farmers and a track and trace platform allowing worshippers to attend religious services.

2021 shortlist includes innovations that provide exciting solutions for key challenges addressing most of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including reducing waste, improving healthcare efficiency, and a range of digital solutions to improve business productivity.

The companies range from transforming banana and plantain stems to biodegradable paper packaging products, a low-cost biowaste processing machine for farmers to manage biowaste, a high-efficiency machine used to process garri, and bioplastic made from biomass which dissolves in water.

The entrepreneurs have also developed a cost-effective 3D printed prosthetic hand for people with upper limb amputations, 3D printed orthopaedic equipment for patients and healthcare workers, a low-cost non-electric and non-invasive ventilator for patients with respiratory difficulties, a device that uses artificial intelligence to simplify intravenous therapy, and a digital healthcare platform which manages the medical data of patients to ensure continuity of care.

Other innovations selected aim to improve business productivity and upskill students and job seekers, such as a cloud-based application to help increase the productivity of waste management and other service-based businesses, a tech recruitment platform for companies to hire software engineers, a smartphone application that uses AI to teach coding, and a digital workspace which connects brands in the media industry with local content creators.

There is also a digital financial services solution that uses a social reputation score to provide formal financial services to those without access to a smartphone or bank account.

The Academy also runs other complementary innovation programmes in Africa. The Africa Innovation Fellowship, in partnership with WomEng, aims to increase female participation in engineering innovation and entrepreneurship across the continent, and the Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF) programme, which supports innovators in 16 countries including Egypt, Kenya and South Africa.

The complete list of selected technologies and candidates includes:

• Aevhas, Jacob Azundah from Nigeria – A high-efficiency machine used to process cassava roots into the West African diet staple, garri.
• Biopackaging, Armelle Sidje from Cameroon – A sustainable manufacturing process which transforms banana and plantain stems to biodegradable paper packaging products.
• BlueAvo, Indira Tsengiwe from South Africa – A digital platform which connects creative brands and people in the media industry with local content creators and provides a digital workspace for collaboration and project development.
• CodeLn, Elohor Thomas from Nigeria – An automated tech recruitment platform that supports software engineering recruitment by connecting companies with talented people in the field and helps test their coding abilities.
• Dissolv Bioplastic, Tshepo Mangoele from South Africa – A bioplastic made from plant waste material which is compostable and dissolves in water at pre-determined rates.
• I3S, Marie Ndieguene from Senegal – A sustainably-made and affordable storage space solution made from diverted landfill waste designed to solve the problem of post-harvest loss in agriculture.
• Jumeni Field Service Software, Eyram Amedzor from Ghana – Software which assists service-based businesses by providing a three-part cloud-based application to help increase the productivity of their field teams.
• KubeKo, Noël N’guessan from Côte d’Ivoire – A low-cost biowaste processing machine designed for smallholder farmers to efficiently manage and monetise biowaste.
• Make3D Medical, Juka Fatou Darboe from The Gambia – Cost-effective locally 3D-printed customised orthopaedic, medical and assistive equipment for patients and healthcare workers.
• Mkono-1, Dr Atish Shah from Tanzania – A locally 3D-printed prosthetic hand which provides an affordable solution for people living with upper limb amputations.
• Orbit Health, Pazion Cherinet from Ethiopia – A digital health platform which manages and stores patient data and dispenses medication, allowing for seamless continuity of care.
• Reeddi, Olugbenga Olufemi Olubanjo from Nigeria – An energy system used to provide clean, reliable and affordable electricity to households and businesses operating in energy-poor communities.
• RealDrip, Taofeek Olalekan from Nigeria – An intravenous therapy solution combining the Internet of Things and AI to monitor dosages, flow rates and intake time.
• ShiVent, Yusuf Bilesanmi from Nigeria – A low-cost, non-electric and non-invasive ventilator for patients with respiratory difficulties.
• Social Lender, Faith Adesemowo from Nigeria – A digital financial services solution that uses a social reputation score to provide access to formal financial services for those without access to a smartphone or bank account.
• ai, George Boateng from Ghana – A smartphone application which uses artificial intelligence to teach coding remotely.

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source https://www.jbklutse.com/africa-prize-selects-2021-shortlist-of-entrepreneurial-innovators/

What makes no deposit bonuses so appealing?

There are many reasons why online casinos became so successful. Some people think it’s due to the mobile apps, whereas others believe the main reason for the iGaming industry’s popularity is the various bonuses.

You can find numerous online casinos and sportsbooks that offer many different types of bonuses. If you take a look at the promo section of each betting site, you will see that some of the offers are only available to new customers, whereas others can be used by bettors who already have a registered account.

Needless to say, the most popular type of promos are those that require a deposit. In other words, you can only avail yourself of them if you add funds into your account using one of the different payment methods.

In addition to them, there is another type of casino offer that many people want to use, and that’s the no deposit bonus. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why gamblers from all over the world want to put them to the test.

These offers do not require you to use any money

The first reason why many bettors want to try out the latest no deposit bonus on the market is that it does not require any money. In other words, you do not need to make a successful deposit or place a bet to claim the specific reward.

People love to receive free gifts, which is why the gambling operators that have a no deposit bonus usually attract way more customers than their counterparts.

These types of offers usually give an attractive reward

Even though the prize that you can get from those types of bonuses is nowhere near as good as the one from the deposit offers, some of the things are pretty cool. For example, most no deposit casino bonuses will either give you a small amount of money or free spins that you can use on your favourite slot. As for bookies, their no deposit bonus is usually in the form of a free bet, which you can use on multiple sports.

Before you start having fun, you need to check whether the reward you will get requires you to complete a specific rollover requirement. Sadly, most no deposit bonuses have a particular wagering condition that you need to fulfil to get the chance to withdraw your reward.

Unlike other rewards, these ones are rare

Another reason why some bettors want to try out this bonus is that it is rare. The fact that it is exclusive makes it more sought-after because gamblers want to have something that not everyone else can obtain.

If you check the bonus sections of some of the biggest gambling websites in the world, you probably won’t find this offer. Only a few brands managed to develop this reward, but we suspect that this is prone to change in the future. It is becoming more challenging for some operators to stand out because there are loads of gambling websites. This means that some of them will probably create these types of rewards.

For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/what-makes-no-deposit-bonuses-so-appealing/

Who cheats more – Men or Women?

Is infidelity a gendered thing? Are men more prone to cheating, or do women get into affairs when the emotional and physical intimacy go down?

The question is an interesting one, and it has occupied our minds for centuries. In fact, even studies have been carried out to discover the answer.

If you’re curious to find the answer, we’ll check out the science and the research together. Eventually, we should be capable of coming up with a valid conclusion.

What Science Has to Say

Anyone who has gone through infidelity has their own theory, but that’s anecdotal evidence. Surprisingly enough, large scale studies have been carried out several times through the years to try finding the answer.

The US General Social Survey is one of the studies that has focused on the question.

According to the study, men are more likely to cheat on their partners. In the study, 20 per cent of the male participants and 13 per cent of the female participants acknowledged that they’d had sex with someone out of their relationship.

It’s interesting to point out that the gender gap increases with age. The older a man gets, the more likely he is to cheat. On the contrary, after the age of 60, women become much less likely to engage in an affair than their partners.

Truth About Deception is another ongoing study that focuses on the topic of infidelity. Anyone can participate in the survey, and by now, there are 62,600 participating women and 31,975 participating men.

Of the women participating in the survey, 53 per cent reported having a one-night stand and also 53 per cent of the cheaters confirmed being unfaithful to their partner more than one time. Among the male participants, 72 per cent confirmed having a one-night stand, and 67 per cent said that they’d cheated on their partner more than once.

Since the Truth About Deception study is ongoing, the chances are that the percentages will change in the future. For the time being, however, the survey confirms the theory that men are unfaithful more often than women.

Finally, let’s conclude the scientific section with a fairly recent study from the UK. BBC published the results of the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles that paints a fairly similar picture. Of the male participants in the survey, 15 per cent confirmed having an affair. The same was true for only nine per cent of the participating women.

Why Are Men More Likely to Cheat?

Now that we have the numbers, the question of reasoning arises. Why do men cheat more often? Is it a gender difference or a culturally-enforced norm when it comes to “differing” sexualities?

Psychologists believe that men are more capable of compartmentalizing their sexual infidelity than women.  This means that the emotional impact of the affair isn’t that big and most often, it’s purely a physical thing. Hence, it’s possible for someone to love their spouse in a sincere manner while having sex with somebody else.

It’s also possible for the numbers to be distorted.

Some research suggests that women are more likely to admit to infidelity and get caught.

Scientists also believe that evolution is somewhat to blame for the more frequent cheating by guys.

According to clinical research, the sexual pursuit area in the male brain is nearly 2.5 times larger than the same region in the female brain. Men acknowledge that they masturbate more often than women do, and the primary reason is unfulfilled sexual desires.

When people get into a long-term relationship, passion does tend to subside. Intimacy also becomes familiar sooner or later. And while there’s nothing wrong with such a natural progression, it completely kills the excitement of a new conquest.

Some couples find ways to overcome this eventual sexual boredom. Sex toys and experimentation provide opportunities to keep things fresh and exciting. HotCherry is famous for its slogan, “bringing sexual happiness to all.” When the services of such adult toy companies get employed, it’s possible to avoid the inevitable progression of a relationship.

Obviously, these are generalized theories. They don’t apply to all men as the vast majority of them will not cheat. Still, some biological differences and the cultural acceptance of extramarital sex (especially when a man is involved) could be contributing factors to the fairly pronounced gender gap.

Monogamy Is Natural and It Can Be Fun

Some proponents of extramarital relationships suggest that monogamy is unnatural, and we’ve been forced into it by cultural norms.

But is this really the case? Are we meant to switch up our sexual partners every once in a while?

Regardless of claims that monogamy is manmade and culturally-enforced, this isn’t the case. In fact, various other biological species are known for their monogamous choices of sexual partners. Some animals actually find a mate for life and they never switch things up.

Gibbons are one example of a species that comes close to humankind and that finds a partner for life. The same is true for many bird species and for some other mammals.

While cultures are accepting of polygamy, the general consensus is that we’re meant to have one partner and be loyal.

The earliest human ancestors were definitely not monogamous. They lived in large communities where men and women mated freely with each other without additional restrictions. In time, however, monogamy has emerged as the primary model of seeking out a partner and creating offspring.

Needless to say, monogamy is not going to work for everyone. There are people in poly relationships and people who don’t want an actual emotional connection with a single partner. What matters in such instances is upfront honesty. If everyone is on the same page as far as boundaries and relationship parameters go, the risk of serious disappointment and people getting hurt would be minimal.

In today’s world, men are more likely to cheat than women. Whether biological or cultural factors are to blame, the fact persists. Contemporary romantic interactions are pretty complex and sexual liberation is getting things to become even more complicated. This is why the importance of boundaries and good communication needs to be emphasized from an early age. If people are honest and upfront about their needs, the desire to cheat would definitely subside.

For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/who-cheats-more-men-or-women/

Why do some betting operators allow their customers to play free casino games?

Due to the fact most people do not have enough time to visit land-based casinos, they prefer to bet online. That’s one of the reasons why we have access to numerous online gambling operators, most of which are available in different parts of the world, thanks to their international license.

The main reason why those types of websites have so many customers is that they are convenient. People can always unlock their smartphones or sit on their computers and play the games they like. The fact that they do not have to visit a land-based casino saves them a lot of time, and in some cases, money.

Speaking of saving money, one of the advantages of betting online is that you can access numerous games for free, most of which are created by some of the world’s biggest casino software operators.

We know that some of you may wonder why online casinos allow their clients to play free casino games, which is why we’d like to point out some of the primary reasons.

This helps them attract new customers

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that free casino games attract many customers. Of course, not all of them like the different titles, but some of them decide to open an account on the given gambling operator following their demo tour. That’s why almost every online casino tried to implement a demo mode for most of its games, especially slots.

One of the things that you should check before you start looking for a website with free games is whether you need to create an account and make a deposit. Unfortunately, some online gambling websites will require you to open an account and make a deposit before you get the chance to play some of the games for free. Needless to say, you should probably avoid such operators.

Casinos can test some of their new features

Although the iGaming industry is way more advanced than it was a few years ago, online bookmakers and casinos always think of new ways to improve their services. That’s why you can often find many new features, bonuses, and other things.

One of the easiest ways for online casinos to test their new “inventions” without forcing people to use their money is by allowing them to play for free. So, if you notice that your favourite gambling operator suddenly lets you play some games for free, there is a pretty good chance that it wants to test something new.

The free casino games help them remove annoying bugs that would otherwise cost them a lot of money

The last reason why some betting operators allow their customers to play for free is due to the fact they want to eliminate some bugs. Of course, they can do that even if clients play with real money, but if someone loses their bet because of the bug, the casino will have to refund that person’s stake.

For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/free-casino-games/

How did online casino games become so popular?

People who love casino games know that there are numerous land-based casinos, at least in most countries around the world. These places usually have loads of different slots and other classic table games that people can go to.

However, there is one major drawback with land-based casinos, and that’s the fact that bettors need to go there physically. Needless to say, many people do not want to do that, which is why they prefer to enjoy their favourite games from the comfort of their home.

This is where online casinos come to play. If you are interested in the iGaming industry, you probably know that there weren’t that many gambling websites a few years ago. However, this is no longer the case.

Here are a few reasons why we think online casinos (and the games themselves) became as big as they are.

You can try out most of the games for free

Many bettors like online casinos because they give them the option to play for free. This is possible thanks to an option called a demo mode, which is usually available on many gambling platforms. However, if the casino you’ve chosen does not have this feature, you can always try out the free online roulette and other types of casino titles.

It is worth pointing out that the “demo mode” might have other names, such as “practice mode” or just “practice”. Regardless of how it’s called, it does the same thing – it gives bettors a virtual money balance that can be used on the specific game.

Before you start looking for an online casino that supports this feature, you should know that it might not work for every type of casino game. In fact, the demo mode is usually available for slots and regular table games. In other words, you probably won’t be able to play the games with live dealers unless you make a successful deposit.

Some online casino titles have special in-game bonuses

Most gambling operators use different bonuses so that they can bring over as many new customers as possible. Besides those types of rewards, there are some casino games (usually slots) with special bonuses.

In most cases, they come in the form of a jackpot, but some titles could also give you free spins. The games that have special bonuses are placed in a separate category, which means that it shouldn’t be difficult to spot them.

There are numerous casino software companies

The last reason why online casino games became so popular is due to the many providers. Everyone who is interested in online casinos knows that there are numerous casino software companies that create new games on a daily basis. That’s why some of the leading gambling websites could have thousands of different options.

Unfortunately, land-based casinos can not compete with their online counterparts when it comes down to the number of games. So, the people who want to have more options to choose from prefer to create an account on one of the many online casinos.

For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/online-casino-games/

Opera and MTN extend their partnership in Ghana bringing millions of users online with new free browsing program

Today, the Norwegian browser developer Opera and leading telecommunication operator MTN announced the extension of their partnership in Ghana and celebrated it with the re-launch of a new Free Browsing program. The new free browsing program provides MTN customers in Ghana up to 1.5 GB of monthly free data when they browse with the popular Opera Mini browser.

“We are glad to extend our partnership with MTN in Ghana, and we look forward to bringing more people online in 2021, said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP of Mobile Browsers at Opera. “At Opera, we believe that access to the web should be a universal right; therefore, we decided to work with MTN in Ghana under the shared vision of bringing more people online by offering affordable access to the web through the Opera Mini browser. 

Customers of MTN who have Opera Mini installed on their mobile devices will be able to start browsing for free. With free browsing, MTN customers can make more online purchases, check on the latest news, or simply find entertainment content they want or are interested in.

“As MTN Ghana works to become a Digital Operator, we are conscious of the customer experience we deliver in our digital services. Together with Opera, we enable our customers with access to more online content so they keep engaged with their devices without worrying too much about their data expenses”, Sam Addo, Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Ghana, said. “We are excited about this partnership with Opera, and we look forward to more offers to delight our customers”,, he added.

Opera Mini is a small, fast and powerful browser.  It comes with unique features such as Data Compression, Offline File Sharing and a built-in Ad-blocker. Opera Mini also enables access to free eBooks through the Worldreader speed dial and the music catalogue of the Kenyan music-streaming service-Mdundo allowing users to stream or download music through the Opera Mini browser. Today, Opera Mini is the browser of choice for over a 100million people around the world who choose it over pre-installed browsers on Android mobile devices.

To enjoy the benefits of the free browsing package, MTN customers will have to install Opera Mini on their mobile Android devices. MTN customers who are not yet Opera Mini users can download the app for free on Google Play Store.  The free browsing package is capped to 50MB per day, and it covers browsing only, while video streaming and file download will attract normal data charges.

MTN’s partnership with Opera supports the digital drive of the business to achieve its vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to its customers’. Other digital interventions introduced for individuals and business is the Unlimited Business Broadband targeted at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Small/Home Offices (SOHOs) as well as other organizations. MTN Business continues to offer solutions that enable individuals and businesses to access telecommunication services.

Visit https://broadband.mtn.com.gh/business  or by call 100 for more information.

For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/opera-and-mtn-extend-their-partnership/

Why are online slots more attractive than other casino games?

Unless you end up on an online casino that only works with a few various casino software providers, you should have many kinds of games to choose from. Of course, some of them are more attractive than others, but it’s always better if we have more things at our disposal.

Even though live casino games became the go-to option for some people worldwide, most gamblers prefer slots. As a result, online casinos try to include as many slots as possible, most of which are created by the leading online casino software suppliers.

We know that some of you might wonder what makes slots so appealing, which is why we’d like to point out a few reasons why we think this is the case.

Most operators allow you to play slots for free

Bettors who have a lot of experience in this industry know what they are looking for, so they don’t need to try out some free games (although this is always a plus). Of course, many gamblers do not have any experience, so they don’t know what to expect. That’s why many online casinos give their customers the option to play free slots without even creating an account.

If you don’t have any previous betting experience, make sure to try out at least several slots for free prior to making a deposit.

There are thousands of options to choose from

Once you find a reputable online casino, there is a good chance that it will have many games that you can play. Even if there are numerous table games and live dealer titles, slots will always be the most dominant subsection.

So if you like having loads of games to choose from, you should check the different slot titles.

Slots are easy to understand

Besides the fact that you can play for free, another reason why many people like slots is because they are straightforward to understand. Nowadays, most bettors have an active lifestyle that does not allow them to have a lot of free time. This means that they don’t have the time to learn how some of the more complicated casino games work.

Luckily, those people don’t need to worry about that if they decide to play slots. Most of these games do not require any experience because you just need to choose how much money you want to bet per spin and press a button.

On top of that, some slots even have in-game instructions that will guide you through all options in just a matter of seconds.

Conclusion

Similar to other industries, iGaming changes all the time. So, even though slots are the most popular type of casino game right now, this could easily change in the future.

Once you decide which online casino you want to bet on, try to learn as much information about all of the casino games as possible. Pay special attention to the live casino section because these games will eventually surpass slots in terms of popularity.

For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/why-are-online-slots-more-attractive-than-other-casino-games/