Winning Apps; Safaricom AppStar Challenge
"Technology has over the ages changed. It's clear that majority of the innovations come from Kenya and it's not surprising if Kenya takes the lead in the world with small Apps innovations. The advanced states in technology have already rated Kenya as the country to watch in as far as Apps development is concerned…" Bitange Ndemo –Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications- during the Safaricom AppStar Challenge Award Ceremony.
Here is a brief summary of the winning Apps.
Finance (Pesa Tracker) Vincent Maraba
Ever wondered how to check your MPESA statements just as you do for your bank account.
Now you can, with the PESA TRACKER app.
PESA TRACKER gives you, the user, the capability to view your debit and credit information, as well as see your deposits and withdrawals. All in the comfort of your personal phone, without having to call customer care.
PESA TRACKER also contains pay bill numbers for easy reference.
Health (Mimba Bora) Marcel Ogweno
Lack of information,
Lack of access to medical personnel,
And even the lack of time to attend antenatal clinics,
Are only a part of the concerns that contribute to the rising number of pregnancy related deaths?
Through the Mimba Bora app pregnant mothers and care givers can access information and relevant material between conception and delivery.
The Mimba bora application provides baby safety tips and first aid care.
Gives pregnant mothers and care givers the opportunity to consult doctors through Q&A sections and even through calls.
This information not only helps pregnant mothers take better care for themselves and their unborn also helps in reducing mortality rates in line with MDG 5.
Utilities (Nduru App) Thomas Kioko
One thing Kenyans are known for is their really bad road ethics.
But how do we report this in real time.
With the help of GPS the Nduru app captures the actual speed of the car you are travelling in , and reports the information to the authorities who will be able to know the vehicles position and persecute the driver.
Nduru app also contains a basic first aid toolkit and up to date traffic updates on various routes captured from twitter and crowd sourcing.
Education (Eureka) – Runner Up Gilbert Rono
An application for those that love solving problems is now at your fingertips.
A simple and intuitive application that assists in calculating mathematical and arithmetic problems, EUREKA not only provides the solution but also displays a step by step approach to the problem assisting you in better understanding the problem.
EUREKA can be used to calculate anything from simple math to complex algorithm functions.
Agriculture (M-Shamba) Gordon Owiti
An interactive, simple, and user-friendly interface that assists farmers in managing both crop and livestock cycles is now available.
M-SHAMBA is an application that provides up to date information to farmers, about the agricultural activities they undertake or wish to partake.
M-SHAMBA will enable any ordinary person, using the application to conduct his/her agricultural activities in a professional way.
Game (Tough Jungle) – Grand Winner Gerald Kibugi
Two details that judges were looking for from developers were creativity and the fact that is Kenyan.
This is a creative and original Kenyan game that is easy to play and navigate through, tough jungle contains different levels of play which are revealed after successful navigation of one level.
As a Maasai warrior you have to navigate through the different levels of tough jungles.
