Sumayya Girls High School in Nsangi has emerged as the winner of the 10th Anniversary Stanbic National Schools Championship Grand Finale, impressing judges with their innovative Uro-Care UTI Detector Strips—a device that delivers quick, affordable results for urinary tract infections.
The victory marks a decade of nurturing Uganda’s young innovators through the championship, which has grown from a simple quiz competition into a leading youth entrepreneurship platform. The programme aims to equip students with critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation skills that contribute to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.
“This year’s final projects are a testament to the kaizen approach we have applied to the championship—each year better than the previous, challenging participants to innovate at a global standard. It also complements the new curriculum,” said Diana Ondoga, Manager, Corporate Social Investment at Stanbic Bank Uganda.
The Grand Finale, held over several days, featured intense presentations as finalists showcased projects addressing real-world challenges. Participants had previously benefited from a study tour at the Engineering Development and Innovation Centre (EDIC), gaining hands-on experience in design, prototyping, and practical problem solving.
“We believe that this programme equips the youth with the skills and mindset to drive Uganda’s economic transformation. Over the past 10 years, what started as a simple quiz has evolved into a leading youth entrepreneurship platform,” said Mumba Kalifungwa, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Uganda.
Finalists also engaged in discussions during a breakfast meeting, sharing insights on their projects, experiences in the competition, and aspirations for the future.
The event drew several dignitaries, including Ms. Sarah Kagingo, Vice Chair of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) Board, and Balaam Barugahara, State Minister at the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development.
“I am inspired by the projects these young people have been involved in. I firmly believe the thinking behind these innovations is what Uganda needs to achieve Vision 2040 and position our young generation as global competitors,” said Barugahara.
The winning project, Uro-Care UTI Detector Strips, exemplifies the spirit of innovation the championship seeks to nurture: a practical solution that is affordable, fast, and empowering, addressing a pressing health challenge in Uganda. They bagged an all-paid trip to South Africa worth Shs 50,000,000.
Sarah Kagingo commended the bank for investing in the future of the students as young as senior one.
“Thank you for investing in the future of students, who are the next generation of entrepreneurs. From solutions diagnosing infections, the fuel-free generator tailored for small businesses, mosquito repellents preventing malaria, to the Gluco-kit for monitoring blood sugar in diabetes management, we have witnessed the creativity and innovation of the young champions,” Kagingo said.
She emphasized that young people are valued partners with brilliant ideas: “They do not come to the table empty-handed; they contribute novel, brilliant ideas. Thank you, Stanbic, for investing in them.”
Underscoring PSFU’s 30 years of experience in driving business growth, Kagingo added: “At PSFU, we have learned that when we take a step back to co-create and co-design with young people, we deliver better.”
Rallying partners to explore ways to enable the Stanbic National Schools Champions to formalize and scale their businesses, Kagingo commended the school innovation hubs who have already sought certification of their diagnostic solutions in compliance with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
