Innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship shone brightly as the Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC) celebrated its 10th anniversary at a vibrant grand finale held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala.
Sumayya Girls High School, Nsangi, triumphed in the Student Spark category with their innovative Urocare UTI detector, a groundbreaking early-detection kit designed to help young women identify urinary tract infections (UTIs) before complications arise.
The team was awarded Shs 20 million in business capital, Shs 5 million in school support, two laptops, and a Shs 2 million teacher award. Additionally, the winning students and their patron teacher secured a fully paid trip valued at Shs 50 million to South Africa, the headquarters of Standard Bank Group, the parent company of Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited (SUHL).
Jamimah Kutesa, a Senior 5 student studying Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics, said their affordable UTI detector empowers students and communities to detect infections early, reducing missed school days and making preventive health accessible.
“With seven months of mentorship and the Shs 20 million prize, we’re poised to scale our business and drive real change, ensuring students can focus on their studies,” she said.
Mentor Secondary School earned the 1st runner-up spot with their Patient Monitoring System, receiving Shs 10 million in business capital, school funding, laptops, and teacher recognition. Ibanda Secondary School secured 2nd runner-up with their eco-friendly Koffia Candles, while St. Noa Mawaggali SSS took 3rd runner-up with their mobility innovation, Snoams Walk Mate.
In the Business Fellowship category, Abia Top Security Alarm clinched the top prize of Shs 13 million in business capital, followed by Tembo Organics (Shs 6 million) and Yummy Collection (Shs 2 million) for their entrepreneurial excellence.
Mumba Kenneth Kalifungwa, Stanbic Bank chief executive, said with nearly 78% of Uganda’s population under 30, youth unemployment is a critical challenge.
“The NSC empowers young people to transition from job seekers to job creators, aligning with our purpose: Uganda is our home, we drive her growth,” he said.
The minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, hailed the NSC as a transformative platform for nurturing talent and innovation.
“The diverse projects showcased today prove that Uganda’s youth are ready to achieve Vision 2040 and compete globally. Whether you win or not, you are part of a powerful legacy,” he told the students.
Since its inception, the NSC has impacted over 500 institutions and 600,000 individuals, sparking more than 200 businesses nationwide, making it one of Uganda’s most impactful private-sector youth empowerment initiatives.
Damoni Kitabire, Stanbic Bank Board chairperson, highlighted the bank’s commitment to youth entrepreneurship as part of their Shs 1 trillion agenda for women, youth, and families.
“What began as a simple quiz has grown into a leading platform for youth entrepreneurship over the past decade,” he said.
Diana Ondoga, Head of Corporate Social Investment at Stanbic Bank, announced an expansion of boot camp participation from 100 to 150 schools to meet growing demand.
