(April 4, 2017) Ethiopian University students have won the Huawei Seeds for the Future Tech for Good Global Competition.
The competition was held from March 29 to April 9, 2017, and included visits to technology centers in Beijing and Shenzhen, China, and practical training. The results were announced on April 3, 2017.
The Ethiopian team, represented by six students, brought together students from Addis Ababa, Haramaya, Jimma, Welkite, and Addis Ababa Science and Technology Universities. The competition competed against 12 unique teams from around the world, including Morocco, South Africa; Argentina, Ireland, Malawi, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, and others. Ethiopian student Asia Kalifam, who is the Global Ambassador for Seeds for the Future, also attended the event as a guest.
The students competed with their project EarlyVet, which uses artificial intelligence to detect animal diseases early, and attracted attention.
The competition highlighted that this innovative project is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 2 “Zero Hunger” and Goal 15 “Life on Earth,” and is believed to address critical challenges in agriculture and animal health.
Mr. Liming Ye, Public Relations Director of Huawei Ethiopia, expressed his happiness over the team’s success, saying that the victory demonstrated the unique talent and creativity of Ethiopian youth. He added that Huawei is committed to providing the next generation with the support and opportunities they need to thrive in the ever-evolving technology landscape.
The team first qualified for the global competition in May 2016 when they emerged as the top seed at the Tech4Good regional competition in Essaouira, Morocco, competing against 28 teams from 17 African countries.
The Huawei Seeds for the Future program, which was launched globally in 2008, is organized in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education and provides participating students with comprehensive training in technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, 5th Generation: Cybersecurity, IoT, and Big Data.
