Page 6 - YMS Africa Magazine 3rd Quarter 2017 Online-1

YOUNG MOVERS & SHAKERS

Young Women achieve this goal.

Where can one go for sweet potatoes, can I buy some? Are
Bring Innovation Larrisa they at the shops?
They are not at the shops yet. I have started with this product
that I find easy, and can make easily without big machines.

To Africa Uwase "My project was aimed at helping chil-

dren and pregnant women to benefit
Rwanda

have a healthy life."
What was your inspiration to set up Carl Group and what from vitamin A in sweet potatoes and
does it do? - Larrisa Uwase
After realising that malnutrition is a big problem in Africa. I
came up with an idea of transforming orange sweet potatoes
into different products like donuts, bread, cakes, and spaghetti However, I am really hoping that soon I will be able to
that can be purchased at an affordable price. Spaghetti was my produce that spaghetti. I want to make an impact in Africa.
vision as we know that many children in Africa are suffering I want my spaghetti to be sold across Africa. There are not
from diseases and malnutrition. My project was aimed at many production industries in Africa and we know we export
helping children and pregnant women to benefit from vitamin spaghetti from Italy, China and the rest of the world. I want
A in sweet potatoes and have a healthy life. I started working to be the go-to spaghetti seller in Africa and maybe the whole
from the University of Rwanda and it seemed like a crazy idea world.
initially. Everyone that I approached laughed and asked how
can you make spaghetti from sweet potatoes? However, with
the help of the University of Rwanda, I worked at the labora-
tory and we could make spaghetti.
I did research on sweet potatoes and found that many women Audrey
What came to your mind that you thought you can make
spaghetti from sweet potatoes?

in Rwanda grow that species of sweet potatoes but do not
have a place where they can sell it. Sweet potato was a poor
crop for animals. I wanted to add value because I have seen
the nutrients in sweet potatoes, and wanted people to benefit Cheng
from them because I realised that the rate of malnutrition in
Rwanda is high. My research was useful because I introduced Kenya
a new product after doing it. I discovered facts such as, eating
a donut of 15 francs is easier than buying a lot of food that Tell us about Maringa School.
contain vitamin A. So, I made some affordable products that Maringa school is a four-month-long computer science exhil-
children can benefit from. arator programme. We offer training on web mobile technol-
Nneile Nkholise Larrisa Uwase Audrey Cheng Did you receive support from the Rwandan government for ogies user experience and professional development. We are
your innovative research and what have they done for you?
According to statistics, Africa has had the fastest growing economies in the I have been helped by the Ministry of Youth and ICT through "We are tackling the lack of technical
the business plan competition. It is not a big fund but it helps
past decade. Economies of several Sub-Saharan countries, such as Ethiopia, me to produce more donuts. My vision is to make spaghetti skills across Africa. Through this program,
continue to grow beyond the global economic growth rate. Africa’s young wom- from sweet potatoes. That needs a very big investment and a all of our students have gotten jobs as full
en are also playing their part in contributing to the continent's growth. Nneile lot of machinery and resources that I do not have now. How- time self-engineers."
ever, the competition was an opportunity, through top women
Nkholise, Larrisa Uwase and Audrey Cheng are emerging bright young minds innovators challenge I have been able to meet people who - Audrey Cheng
behind some of the continent’s innovation. Their businesses have been featured have made it in my industry in Rwanda and internationally. I
hope these connections can build something in the future. I
and celebrated on many platforms around the world, including the World Eco- have also applied for other funds around the world. I need to tackling the lack of technical skills across Africa.
nomic Forum on Africa. They share with us what their businesses are about. make a change and be part of this fourth industrial revolu- Through this program, all our students have gotten jobs as full
tion, I hope through those fund applications I will be able to time self-engineers. We also offer Maringa Def shop to further

4 YMSAFRICA.COM YMSAFRICA.COM 5