Innovation
Mak, UNDP, MTN Partner to Showcase Youth Innovation
On 25th April 2023, Makerere University in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and MTN Uganda officially launched the Youth and Innovation Expo 2023.
The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 will be held under the theme, “Fostering Innovation for Uganda’s Transformational Development,” in an effort to showcase outstanding youth innovations and youth enterprises.
The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 is aimed at:
- Showcasing innovative social interventions and development approaches to accelerate the attainment of Agenda 2030 and the SDGs in Uganda,
- Demonstrating the potential to commercialize youth innovations for job creation and livelihoods generation,
- Providing an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of Makerere University and UNDP to Uganda’s development journey,
- Equipping young people with information, knowledge, and skills in sustainable entrepreneurship, employability, and health, and
- Facilitating the creation of new partnerships and networks between like-minded individuals who are passionate about innovation for impact through mutually beneficial backward and forward linkages.
In attendance, were Mrs. Lorna Magara, the Chairperson, Makerere University Council and Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Finance and Administration and members of Top Management, representatives from the UNDP led by the Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, representatives from MTN Uganda led by the Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Somdev Sen, representatives from House of Djs, Faculty, a number of Youth involved in research and Innovations and members of the press.
In his welcome remarks, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, who also doubles as Principal, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) expressed elation at witnessing the launch of a Youth and Innovation Expo, as CEDAT is one of the centres for innovation in the University. He noted, that Uganda has a fast-growing Youth population and it is imperative that we create spaces in which the Youth can be empowered for Job creation as we strive to achieve Uganda’s development Agenda. He further shared that, this Youth and Innovation Expo, will be the beginning of a fruitful and mutually beneficial space for the Youth and all collaborating stakeholders.
Mrs. Lorna Magara, in her address, appreciated the timeliness of the Youth and Innovation Expo. She said that whereas it was tempting to sit back and glory in Makerere’s achievements over the last 100 years, there is an urgent need keep innovating, lest the myriad of challenges wipe out all the gains made to date.
She noted that Makerere’s ten-year strategic plan, currently in its third year of implementation, sets out to respond to present and emerging challenges through four overarching goals, namely: A research-led university responding to national, regional, and global development challenges; Innovations in teaching and learning that respond to the changing environment; An engaged university with enhanced partnerships with industry, the community, and international institutions; and A professionally governed, equitable, inclusive and gender mainstreamed institution.
“In this regard, we are committed to gradually increasing our engagement with industry, business, and other research users, to develop a framework for packaging and marketing, and research outputs for appropriate adoption and adaptation.
“The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 we are launching today is a platform to cause meaningful engagement between the youth and various actors to tap into their expertise and experience” reiterated Mrs. Magara.
Ms. Elsie Attafuah noted that the Expo builds on several other initiatives in the UNDP Uganda Country Programme 2021 – 2025 to nurture innovation in Uganda such as:
- Firstly, supporting the creation of an enabling policy, legal, and regulatory environment. For instance, UNDP is partnering with the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and National Guidance to position digitalization at the heart of Uganda’s development agenda;
- Secondly, partnering with Makerere University to establish a University Innovation Pod under UNDP’s Timbuktu initiative;
- Thirdly, collaborating with the Government and private sector actors to foster e-governance and e-commerce as a mechanism to improve service delivery in both the public and private sectors;
- Fourthly, fostering innovation through its Accelerator Lab – a dedicated learning network of 91 labs supporting 115 countries to re-imagine development in the 21st century and find radically new approaches and pioneer new solutions to complex development challenges; and
- Fifthly, nurturing innovation through the UNDP Youth4Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Facility initiative
“I am hopeful that our collective ingenuity will foster innovation and youth empowerment as well as contribute to accelerating Uganda’s progress towards the attainment of the SDGs whilst ensuring that no one is left behind. “To the media, we recognise your potential to drive change and to innovate. We are proud to call many of you here today our partners and look forward to forging stronger partnerships with you to foster innovation that is not only necessary but will result in increased decent jobs and dignified livelihood opportunities for most especially the youth” concluded Ms. Attafuah.
Engineering, Art & Tech
Makerere’s CEDAT Hosts Groundbreaking LIVWA Workshop on Advanced Climate Modelling for Lake Victoria Water Level Management
By Carol Kasujja and Betty Kyakuwa
Running a side business alongside full-time employment has become an increasingly popular venture among staff. For many, it is a way to supplement income and build financial resilience. For Ms. Rebecca Talikaza, a 48-year-old custodian, it has become a pathway to transformation. Talikaza successfully balances her office responsibilities with her growing enterprise, Beckiz Bathing Sponge.
“For the years I have been running Beckiz Bathing Sponge, my side business has not affected my work. I have a support system at home, and I have learnt how to utilize my time well,” she explains.
Turning Necessity into Opportunity
Talikaza’s entrepreneurial journey began during the COVID-19 period, when schools reopened. While preparing to take her first-born son back to school, she realized he did not have a bathing sponge. A search in nearby supermarkets in Nakwero proved futile.
“When I failed to get a bathing sponge, I went back home and looked for some material I had bought earlier. I became creative and decided to knit one using skills I had acquired in primary school,” she recalls.
As she worked, a neighbor noticed her and expressed interest. “When I told her I was knitting a sponge, she asked me to make four for her,” Talikaza says. After completing the order, her neighbor paid her UGX 20,000.
That same day, a boda boda rider she had sent on an errand also requested one. “He told me instead of giving him money, I should give him a sponge. That is when it hit me—I could actually make money from this. Every home needs two or three sponges,” she says.
From Small Orders to Supermarket Shelves
Encouraged by the demand, Talikaza approached Babis Supermarket in Nakwero with her sample. She requested to supply her products after noticing the gap in the market. The manager agreed and asked her to produce two dozen sponges for distribution across five branches.
She also secured a similar opportunity with Shop Wise Supermarket in Manyangwa Village. “Both supermarkets accepted, but it took me three weeks to deliver. I had to sacrifice my sleep, sometimes working until 2:00 a.m. to meet the demand,” she says.
Her first delivery earned her UGX 54,000 per dozen, with each sponge retailing at UGX 5,000. Drawing on knowledge from her Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration at Makerere University Business School, Talikaza realized the importance of branding and packaging. “I knew I had to register my business and package my products well because my target customers value quality,” she explains.
Improved packaging doubled the price of her sponges from UGX 5,000 to UGX 10,000. Since then, the business has steadily grown, enabling her to pay school fees and purchase land.
Challenges Along the Way
Despite her success, Talikaza faces challenges, particularly with delayed payments from supermarkets.
“Some supermarkets take long to pay, yet I need money to buy materials, so I end up using funds from other sources,” she says.
She also points to the difficulty small businesses face in meeting formal requirements. “Some supermarkets require invoices, which is challenging for small businesses like mine. Without them, we are taxed heavily,” she adds.
Advice on Managing a Side Hustle
Talikaza emphasizes discipline, sacrifice, and humility as key ingredients for success. “Never despise humble beginnings. Side businesses do not accommodate laziness. If it means working late, do so to ensure growth and profit,” she advises.
She also stresses the importance of fairness and teamwork, noting that she employs her children and a maid to help with production—and pays them weekly. To maintain professionalism, Talikaza draws a clear boundary between her job and her business.
“Your office work should not suffer because of your side hustle. I do not sell my products at the University. Those who need them can find them in supermarkets,” she says. She recommends careful time management, dedicating working hours to official duties and reserving evenings or weekends for business.
Efficiency, she adds, is critical. “I do not leave work to buy materials. I send a boda boda rider who delivers on time. He even helps monitor stock in supermarkets,” she explains. Above all, Talikaza encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to build businesses around passion and knowledge.
“Understand your business—its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Also know your target market to avoid being cheated,” she says.
At a Glance
Born to Mr. Nathan Magoola and the late Gladys Magoola, Talikaza hails from Iganga District. She attended Iganga Municipal Council Primary School before joining St. Peter’s Secondary School, Naalya, for both O-Level and A-Level.
She later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from Makerere University, followed by a Master’s degree in Gender and Women Studies and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration.
The 10th born in a family of 14, Talikaza is a mother of six children.
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