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Uganda Students Create Malaria App for Microsoft Competition

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Team Code 8 from Makerere University Kampala, Uganda,  consisting of three students, Joshua Busingye, Brian Gitta, and Simon Lubambo, was pronounced the winning team of the 2013 Microsoft Uganda Imagine Cup finals.

The team exhibited Matibabu which is an app, that diagnoses malaria without pricking any body part.

“We were speechless. To have won this year’s Uganda country finals – and to have the opportunity to represent our country at Worldwide Imagine Cup along some of the brightest young minds – is an honor,” said team Code 8.

“And we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to compete with students from around the globe who, like us, are passionate about making a difference in the world.”

The premier student competition which centers on the use of imagination, creativity and technology to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems, was launched in 2003 globally and in 2008 in East Africa. For the first time since its inception, East Africa will be represented by 2 teams from Uganda and Kenya at the global finals which will be held at St Petersburg in Russia in July this year.

In total, 150 Ugandan students totaling to ten teams competed during a challenging day of presentations, which brought together students from universities across the country.

Speaking at the launch of the competition, Simon Onyango, Microsoft Business Development Manager in Uganda, challenged the youth to take time to focus on developing technology applications that are wealth creating and not just “cool.” “While many local developers have focused their work on developing consumer applications, it is important that they also look into the opportunities that exist in B2C (Business 2 Consumer) Apps, Independent Software Vendors (ISV) Line of Business Apps and In House Line of Business Apps as these remain largely unexplored and present real business opportunities,” he said.

Onyango also encouraged the youth to continue developing apps on the Windows 8 platform saying  it is not only a game changer but also an operating system that is apps driven. “Windows 8, unlike past operating systems offers a huge, global opportunity for Kenyan developers. They can now easily build, submit and sell through the Windows store with favorable economic terms.

Read More: pctechmag.com

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