Sumayya Girls High School wins Stanbic National Schools Championship with Urinary tract infection detector innovation

Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC) marked its 10th anniversary during a grand finale held at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala under the theme ‘Powering Innovation for Job Creation.’

This year’s event, dubbed the ‘Battle of Champions’, celebrated a decade of nurturing young talent and aligning with a government strategy to embed entrepreneurship and problem-solving into the education system.

Sumayya Girls High School, Nsangi, emerged as the overall winner in the fiercely contested Student Spark category. Their groundbreaking project, the “Urocare UTI Detector,” an early-detection kit designed to help particularly young women identify urinary tract infections before associated medical complications arise, captured the judges’ attention.

The victorious team secured an impressive UGX 20 million in business capital, UGX 5 million in school support, two laptops, and a teacher award of UGX 2 million. In a highlight of their win, the students and their patron teacher also earned a fully paid trip valued at UGX 50 million to South Africa, the home of Standard Bank Group, Stanbic Uganda’s parent company.

Jamimah Kutesa, a Senior Five student offering Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics, and one of the inventors, articulated the project’s vision. “We developed this affordable UTI detector to empower students and communities to detect infections early, reduce missed school days, and make preventive health accessible in everyday environments,” she stated.

“With the support and mentorship we have gained throughout the seven months of the challenge, we are now set to create real change in our communities. This UGX 20 million is a strong push for the business to scale, because we are optimistic that our affordable UTI detector will turn concern into action, so every student can focus on study and progress.”

Mentor Secondary School claimed the 1st runner-up position with their “Patient Monitoring System,” earning UGX 10 million in business capital, alongside school funding, laptops, and teacher recognition.

Ibanda Secondary School, with their eco-friendly “Koffia Candles,” secured 2nd runner-up, while St. Noa Mawaggali SSS followed as 3rd runner-up with their mobility innovation, “Snoams Walk Mate.”

In the separate Business Fellowship category, Abia Top Security Alarm clinched the top spot, taking home a prize of UGX 13 million in business capital. They were followed by Tembo Organics (UGX 6 million) and Yummy Collection (UGX 2 million), both recognized for their entrepreneurial excellence.

Mumba Kenneth Kalifungwa, the Stanbic Bank Chief Executive, reiterated the bank’s commitment to the Championship, emphasizing its role in addressing youth unemployment.

“Youth employment is a global issue, and it is especially critical here in Uganda, a country with one of the world’s youngest populations, with nearly 78% of our people under the age of 30. Therefore, a platform like the Stanbic National Schools Championship empowers our youth to shift from being job seekers to being job creators,” Kalifungwa stated, aligning with the bank’s purpose: ‘Uganda is Our home we drive her growth’.

The Guest Honour, Uganda’s State Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, lauded the initiative as a “powerful platform that nurtures talent, inspires innovation, and prepares the next generation of leaders.”

Since its inception, the championship has reached over 500 institutions and close to 600,000 individuals, sparking over 200 businesses nationwide, making it one of Uganda’s most impactful private-sector youth empowerment initiatives.

Damoni Kitabire, the Stanbic Bank Board Chairperson, affirmed the bank’s commitment to continued investment in youth entrepreneurship as part of their UGX 1 trillion Agenda for Women, Youth, and Families.

Diana Ondoga, the Stanbic Bank Head of Corporate Social Investment (CSI), announced an increase in boot camp participation slots from 100 to 150 schools to accommodate rising interest. To date, the Championship has positively impacted thousands directly and indirectly, including teachers and communities, with Stanbic Bank investing over UGX 7 billion during the past decade.