Winners 2016
Meet our winners!
Below you will find the profiles of the 23 winning submissions for the empowering people. Award. An international expert jury awarded prize money worth 50,000, 30,000 and 20,000 Euro to the top three winners respectively, while the other 20 winning projects received 5,000 Euro each.
The Community Prize winner additionally selected his prize from different communications hardware such as a computer, a video-camera or a smartphone (value up to 3,000 Euro)
Meet our winners and explore their exceptional technological innovations!

BEMPU Hypothermia...
Temperature monitoring wristband for hypothermic babies

BEMPU Hypothermia Alert Bracelet
Categories: Healthcare
Organization: Bempu Health
Website: http://www.bempu.com/
Contact: Ratul Narain
Email: ratul@bempu.com
Operating in: India
Solution:
BEMPU is a temperature monitoring wristband for newborn babies. The wristband intuitively alerts a parent if the baby’s temperature drops and the baby becomes hypothermic. Compared to current standards of care, the device reliably prevents hypothermia and its complications, and it promotes kangaroo mother care (skin-to-skin care) in low-resource clinics and homes.

Garbage Clinical...
Micro health insurance program based on waste collection

Garbage Clinical Insurance
Categories: Healthcare, Waste Management
Organization: Indonesia Medika
Website: https://www.indonesiamedika.com/
Contact: Dr Gamal Albinsaid
Email: gamal.albinsaid@gmail.com
Operating in: Indonesia
Solution:
Garbage Clinical Insurance (GCI) is a micro health insurance program which uses recyclable waste as a financial resource. With this program, the community is able to pay for clinical services by using garbage as payment to an insurance scheme. The project predominantly targets waste collectors and encourages the community to mobilize their own unused resources to improve their access to health services. It further breaks down barriers between health facilities and community members.

Barsha Pump -...
A sustainable irrigation solution using the flow of rivers

Barsha Pump - Hydro-powered Irrigation
Categories: Water & Sanitation, Food & Agriculture
Organization: aQysta
Website: www.aqysta.com
Contact: Lennart Budelmann
Email: lennart@aQysta.com
Operating in: Netherlands, Nepal, Colombia, Indonesia
Solution:
Barsha, meaning rain in Nepalese, is the name given to this hydro-powered irrigation pump. It has been developed with a vision to provide a sustainable irrigation solution to farmers across the world. This waterwheel utilizes the energy from the flow of rivers and canals to pump water, regardless of the flow velocity. Requiring no fuel or electricity to be operated means that there are no operating expenses and no polluting greenhouse gases emitted.
The Barsha pump is made with indigenous elements and does not need much maintenance as there are only few moving parts. As a result of these factors, the Barsha pump can save over 70% of watering costs for farmers, compared to conventionally-used fossil-fuel based pumps.

WAFFCO (Waste-Fuel...
Low-cost biomass burning stove for households

WAFFCO (Waste-Fuel Free Combustion)
Categories: Energy, Food & Agriculture
Organization: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
Website: https://www.fraunhofer.de/en.html
Contact: Mohammad Aleysa
Email: mohammad.aleysa@ibp.fraunhofer.de
Operating in: Germany
Solution:
WAFFCO, Waste-Fuel Free Combustion, is a closed biomass burning stove for households. Simple and cheap to produce, it is constructed mainly of clay and metal and designed to replace open-fire stoves. It serves as a free cooking technology since it is fired with generated agriculture and domestic waste as well as packaging waste material.

Safe Travel
A monitoring app for emergency help and more road safety

Safe Travel
Categories: Mobility & Infrastructure
Organization: Traveler Inc
Contact: Achiri Nji
Email: arnoldcolf@yahoo.com
Operating in: Cameroon
Solution:
Developed by innovators in Cameroon, Safe Travel is a free phone app which works as a monitoring system called ‘traveler’. It is designed for passengers and users offering a platform and data system showing a traveler’s location. This is used to notify families and road safety or emergency teams if a traffic incident occurs as it offers the possibility to also check reckless driving it can subsequently reduce the number of death on highways.

GravityLight
Clean, safe and affordable lamps powered by the lift of a...

GravityLight
Categories: Energy
Organization: Deciwatt Ltd
Website: https://deciwatt.global/
Contact: Chris Skilton
Email: chris@deciwatt.global
Operating in: Kenya, United Kingdom
Solution:
GravityLight is an innovative device that provides instant light, as well as powering a string of up to 4 ancillary ‘SatLights’ that can be distributed around the home. Simultaneously able to power a radio, it does not need batteries or sunlight, as it is powered by the lifting of weights. This provides a clean, safe and affordable alternative to kerosene lamps which is universal and can be used all year round.

Multi-Crop Thresher
Strengthens value chains and contributes to food security

Multi-Crop Thresher
Categories: Food & Agriculture
Organization: Imara Tech
Contact: Elliot Avila
Email: elliot@imaratech.co
Website: https://www.imaratech.co/
Operating in: Tanzania
Solution:
The Multi-Crop Thresher (MCT) is an agricultural product that can thresh various types of crops in just one machine. These crops include maize, sorghum, barley, and rice. The Thresher aims to improve quality of life, strengthen value chains, and contribute to food security. This is done by producing a cleaner agricultural product that can be used more efficiently reducing the amount of hard labor.

MAPS AgRover
Utility vehicle approriate for farmers and agri businesses

MAPS AgRover
Categories: Food & Agriculture, Mobility & Infrastructure
Organization: Mobile Agricultural Power Solutions (MAPS)
Website: https://www.mobileagpower.com/
Contact: David Wilson
Email: dwilson@mobileagpower.com
Operating in: United States, Nigeria
Solution:
The MAPS G110 is a utility vehicle designed to meet the needs of farmers and agriculture businesses in developing countries. These people traditionally spend a substantial amount of time and effort with transportation and manual labor. This farming helper is more affordable than a car, can carry more people than a motorcycle, and unlike Chinese trike competitors, offers a durable chassis with options for utility attachments.

Videobooks in Sign...
Video books bridge the gap in literacy of deaf children

Videobooks in Sign Language
Categories: Education & Training
Organization: Canales Asociación Civil
Website: www.videolibros.org
Contact: Silvana Veinberg
Email: info@canales.org.ar
Operating in: Argentina
Solution:
Enabling deaf children access to literature and reading, Canales has created “Videobooks in Argentine Sign Language.” These videos combine children’s books and young adult literature read in sign language, with voice-overs and animated illustration. This invites deaf children into the world of reading together with their families and friends. Many of these children never enjoy the pleasure of being read to as their families don’t know sign language: Videobooks also helps bridge the gap in literacy skills between deaf and hearing students.

NABU.ORG
Publishing network making literacy open for all

NABU.ORG
Categories: Education & Training
Contact: Isabel Sheinman
Email: info@nabu.org
Operating in: United States, Rwanda, Haiti
Organization: NABU.ORG
Website: https://www.nabu.org/
Solution:
NABU.ORG is a publishing network providing original, local language content for young readers to increase access to literacy. NABU.ORG’s technology platform launched in 2017, and delivers content on a diverse range of devices. Today, it's the fastest growing app providing curated content in Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. Where print books are scarce and extremely difficult to distribute, mobile phone networks are spreading; 1.6 billion people in economically developing countries will own a phone by 2020. NABU.ORG harnesses the power of wide-spread, cost effective technology to democratize access to literacy. The app is currently available via the Google Play store in Rwanda, and accessible via waitlist in Haiti and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Invi self-defense...
Bracelet allowing nonviolent self-defense

Invi self-defense bracelet
Categories: Healthcare, Education & Training
Contact: Roel van der Kamp
Email: hello@invi.world
Operating in: Netherlands
Organization: Invi
Website: http://invi.world/
Solution:
In response to the widespread problem of sexual violence, the company has developed a self-defense product that enables women to protect themselves. The “Pearltect” is a bracelet worn as jewellery. This bracelet however contains a breakable capsule (the pearl) filled with an (unpleasant) odoriferous substance to repel, and DNA dye to mark, the attacker.

SolarTurtle
Solar-kiosk with a fold-away PV system

SolarTurtle
Categories: Energy
Organization: SolarTurtle
Website: www.solarturtle.co.za
Contact: James van der Walt, Charlene Barnes
Email: james@solarturtle.co.za, charlene@solarturtle.co.za
Operating in: South Africa
Solution:
The SolarTurtle is a community-owned solar kiosk designed for maximum security and maximum portability. The solar PV systems are housed in containers and assembled off site. The turn-key ready system can be deployed by simply offloading the container and unfolding the panels towards the sun. The solar kiosks sell electricity by the ‘bottle’. This means that a recycled plastic container is halved and battery inserted, the lid is then converted into a 12V cigarette lighter socket, allowing communities to build and maintain their own battery packs. Micro-grid connections are offered additionally to power local schools and businesses. Delivered by truck, this fold-away solar PV system provides basic electricity to 300 households and a local school and is stored safely preventing theft.

Quintas Biomass fired...
Simple to use biomass hot air dryer and dehydrator

Quintas Biomass fired Hot Air Dryer/Dehydrator
Categories: Energy
Organization: Quintas Renewable Energy Solutions Ltd.
Website: www.quintasenergies.com.ng/
Contact: Omotayo Dairo
Email: tayo.dairo@quintasenergies.com
Operating in: Nigeria
Solution:
The Quintas biomass hot air dryers/dehydrators are designed to dry agricultural produce when harvested.
This simple device does without complicated temperature and flow controls and can be assembled on site with the capacity to burn approx. 7.06 kg biomass per hour. The dried goods can then be packaged for sale.

Pocket FM
Broadcasting system for regions with poor communication

Pocket FM
Categories: Mobility & Infrastructure
Organization: Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT)
Website: http://www.pocket-fm.com
Contact: Klaas Glenewinkel
Email: klaas@mict-international.org
Operating in: Germany
Solution:
Pocket FM is a broadcasting system, which serves as an interface between internet and radio. The device has been adapted to situations and regions where communication is difficult, especially for those cut off from vital information including refugee camps and areas with civil wars. The portable transmitter airs radio programs over a radius of about eight kilometers and can be remote-controlled by SMS or the internet. Powered by a small solar panel, the solution requires almost no maintenance and can run practically without interruption.

Mellowcabs
Low-cost, eco-friendly and convenient electric mini-cabs

Mellowcabs
Categories: Mobility & Infrastructure
Organization: Mellowcabs
Website: www.mellowcabs.com
Contact: Neil du Preez
Email: neil@mellowcabs.com
Operating in: South Africa
Solution:
Mellowcabs manufactures and operates three-wheeled, electric mini-cabs to provide low cost, eco-friendly and convenient urban taxi and transport services. A mobile app connects the commuters and cabs and payment can be made by cash or card via the app. The passenger section of the cab can be replaced with a cargo section while the body of the taxi is used as advertising space in order to finance the concept. Mellowcab aims to replace short distance transport services through an eco-friendly carbon emission free alternative.

Groasis Technology
Planting technology allowing reforestation in degraded areas

Groasis Technology
Categories: Food & Agriculture
Organization: ICU/Desert Tulip/Groasis
Website: http://www.groasis.com/en
Contact: Daniele Bonetti
Email: daniele.bonetti@icu.it
Operating in: Netherlands, Jordan
Solution:
Groasis Technology (GT) is an integrated planting technology that allows the planting of trees in degraded farmland and rangelands. The technology consists of a 20-litre box which, when planted around a seedling, collects dew and enough rainwater to sustain the plant whilst it grows.

GiftedMom - Ending...
Preventive SMS & voice reminders to improve maternal health

GiftedMom - Ending Maternal Deaths Using Mobile Technology.
Categories: Healthcare
Organization: GiftedMom
Website: www.giftedmom.org
Contact: Alain Nteff
Email: founders@giftedmom.org
Operating in: Cameroon, Haiti
Solution:
GiftedMom is a social enterprise aiming to improve maternal health using last mile mobile technologies. Combining SMS and voice reminders with a GPS-integrated tricycle transportation, the project aims to end preventable maternal and infant deaths.
Using a customized SMS notification and voice education platform, the solution leverages on the high amount of mobile devices in Africa and provides antenatal care and vaccination reminders to pregnant women and new
mothers respectively.

Fenik
Low-cost, electricity-free mobile refrigeration units

Fenik
Categories: Food & Agriculture, Energy
Organization: Fenik (formerly Evaptainers)
Website: https://www.fenik.io/
Contact: Spencer Taylor
Email: spencer@e-tainers.com
Operating in: Morocco, United States
Solution:
Fenik are electricity-free mobile refrigeration units which run at low-cost. Utilizing the phenomenon of evaporative cooling, food is stored in a double-walled container where water evaporates through the porous outer wall, thereby cooling down the inner container. Compared to the rather more energy-intensive vapor compression refrigeration, they are ideal for use in off-grid rural areas with low relative humidity.

Café Compadre
Developed to roast coffee beans using sunlight

Café Compadre
Categories: Food & Agriculture, Energy
Organization: Compadre
Website: http://www.compadre.pe
Contact: Juan Pablo Perez Panduro
Email: juanpablo@compadre.pe
Operating in: Peru
Solution:
This is a technology developed to roast coffee beans using sunlight – the energy source most widely available to farmers. The solution concentrates the rays of the sun on a rotating drum containing coffee beans. The sturdy device has been developed for use in rural areas and can be maintained locally, boosting its resilience. With the capacity to roast 1 kg of coffee beans in approximately 15–25 minutes, this roasting technology is fairly comparable to the timelines and capacities of conventional roasting equipment of the same dimensions.