Our Innovation #HACKATHON Round III has successfully concluded today in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal, with three winners proudly walking away with dummy cheques.

These micro-grants will empower the winners to implement activities that foster innovative solutions, promote new ideas, address pressing challenges, and identify effective solutions to community needs.

The primary aim is to increase citizens’ access to credible information, particularly targeting hard-to-reach communities in South Sudan, over the next 2 to 3 months.

We received fifteen applications from the Bahr el Ghazal region for this innovation Hackathon microgrant activity. Out of these, six applicants were selected to present their ideas before a panel of judges and an audience. Ultimately, three exceptional proposals emerged as the winners.

Speaking at the event, Linet Omwange, the Chief of the Party at IREX, announced that USAID is localizing its agenda to better address community needs.

“We are the people who are going to transform our situation,” Omwange declared passionately. She called on the winners to uphold high standards of integrity.

“It is very important to have integrity if you are going to receive donor funding. Stay clear of misappropriation of funds. Do a good job and implement exactly as you promised,” she emphasized.

Meanwhile, Chagai Mading Chagai, one of the award recipients whose project will be implemented in Jur River County, expressed his commitment to excellence.

“We shall do our best and implement our projects so that we don’t spoil the chance for others. We do not want to close the door for the next group,” Chagai stated resolutely.

The Innovation Hackathon is a mini-activity under the broader Sustainable Independent Media Activity (SIMA), which is funded by @USAID South Sudan through #IREX.

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