Patience Elizabeth Nina and Edward Wara Kitsao, students of Salvation Army Likoni High School for the Visually Impaired, Mombasa county, awardees of the most innovative project on STEM inclusivity at the 8th annual Young Scientists Kenya National Science & Technology Exhibition, with their teacher Gabriel Nyamu
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TWO Eldoret high school students have clinched the top prize at the eighth Young Scientists Kenya National Science and Technology Exhibition with an innovation aimed at striking corruption at its root.

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Nova Pioneer Boys High School’s Kon Lual Ajok and Ian Mwadiloh emerged victorious with Afronomy Chain, a blockchain-powered web system that tracks public funds in real time — from the moment revenue is collected to the point it is spent.

The system records every government transaction on a tamper-proof ledger, requiring receipts for all expenditures and flagging any discrepancies instantly.

Citizens can monitor these transactions via a mobile app, conduct community-led social audits, and report suspicious activities.

The goal is to strengthen public oversight, safeguard resources, and drive economic growth through transparency.

“This is not our first time participating,” Ajok said. “We tried in 2023 and came third. We are proof that you can fail, try again, and come back stronger.”

The duo beat 130 Stem projects from across Kenya to win a four-year Strathmore University scholarship, Sh100,000 in cash, smartphones, and an all-expenses-paid trip to Ireland, where they will represent Kenya at the 2026 Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in Dublin.

In the special awards category, Edward Kitsao and Patience Ninah from Salvation Army Likoni High School for the Visually Impaired won recognition for Smart Drive, a dynamo-powered wheelchair with autonomous navigation, obstacle detection, route planning, and comfort features like a heater, fan, and umbrella — capable of running 24 hours non-stop.

YSK national director Victor Mwongera said that this year, for the first time, junior high school students joined the competition, with participation from special needs schools and a refugee school.

“Stem is no longer just a subject in the classroom; it’s the bridge that allows every young mind to rise above circumstance and create a future without limits,” he said.

YSK is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the government of Ireland, providing young people with a platform to solve real-world problems.

Since 2018, it has reached over 250,000 students, supported 1,700 Stem projects, and nurtured alumni who have launched start-ups, secured patents, and won global recognition.