• MTN Uganda, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has shortlisted 12 finalists for the Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge, a youth-focused programme supporting commercially viable solutions to climate and resource-management pressures.

• The shortlist follows a nationwide call for applications issued in September. Submissions were evaluated by independent experts using criteria published on the competition website. 

• Three national winners will be selected and awarded cash prizes of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. In addition to the financial awards, winners will receive incubation and mentorship support to further refine and scale their solutions. 

• This development comes as Uganda continues to face pressure on food, water and energy systems driven by climate variability, land-use change and population growth.  

MTN Uganda, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has shortlisted 12 finalists for the Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge, a youth-focused programme supporting commercially viable solutions for climate and resource-management pressures.

The shortlist follows a nationwide call for applications issued in September this year. Submissions were evaluated by independent experts using a criteria published on the competition website. 

The selected projects span food systems, ecosystem conservation, renewable energy and waste-to-value innovation; areas increasingly important as Uganda responds to intensifying climate risks and growing demand for sustainable resource management. The finalists include water-reuse technologies, digital agriculture tools, microbial fuel-cell prototypes, biodegradable fibre products and circular-economy waste models.

The finalists are currently participating in a structured training and mentorship programme designed to strengthen their business models, improve technical development and prepare them for investor-ready pitching. 

On 27th November 2025, each team will present to an independent judging panel drawn from the technology, environment and enterprise development sectors.

Three national winners will be selected and awarded cash prizes of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. In addition to the financial awards, winners will receive incubation and mentorship support to further refine and scale their solutions. All three will go on to represent Uganda at the Africa Pachi Panda Finals in South Africa next year.

The Pachi Panda Challenge, launched in Zambia in 2022 and subsequently expanded to Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa, has become a regional platform for identifying and developing scalable youth-led climate innovations. Uganda is the fifth country to adopt the initiative.

MTN Uganda’s CEO Sylvia Mulinge said the programme reflects MTN’s long-term commitment to sustainability and youth empowerment. 

“A resilient, connected future depends on the health of the ecosystems that support our communities. The Pachi Panda platform is helping us surface practical solutions from young innovators who are closest to the challenges,” she said.

This development comes as Uganda continues to face pressure on food, water and energy systems driven by climate variability, land-use change and population growth. MTN and WWF say the challenge is designed to accelerate solutions positioned at the nexus of these systems, an area attracting rising investor and policy interest across Africa.

The 12 Ugandan finalists are:

• LumiGuard – Martha Atwine & Messach Luminsa
• Graywater Reuse Management System – Benjamin Busuulwa
• The KampalaBuzzline – Hannington Sserwanga
• AirAware – Musiimwe Duncan
• FarmGate Digital – Ruth Kyobutungi
• Smart Waste-to-Value Youth Hubs – Mutagamba Shabirih
• CropPay – Ben Engule & Amos Ogwal
• AI-Powered Microbial Fuel Cell – Ssenyonga Charles
• Life Memorial Uganda – Mutebi Andrew
• Totem Trails – Treis Bateeze Georgette
• EcoDrop Project – Kigozi Martin
• Biodegradable Banana Fibre Hair Extensions – Nabuule Maria Maureen