HelpMum, a company founded by University of
Ibadan students has emerged winner of the Innovate4Life
Hackathon in Nairobi, Kenya.


Being the only team from Nigeria that qualified for the
hackathon out a pool of 175 teams from different countries,
they were named among the 15 finalists and eventual
winners alongside two other teams (Chanjoplus from Kenya
and Wekebere from Uganda) .


The Innovate4Life is two-day start-up hackathon in Nairobi,
Kenya on March 7 and 8, 2017, with the purpose of
developing solutions that respond to the significant
challenges faced by mothers and infants across the
continent.



The solutions will seek to reduce the high rates of maternal
and newborn deaths in Africa.
Against the 14 other startup teams, HelpMum pitched their
company’s solution to a panel of Judges and they were
eventually named among the three winners of the contest that will receive the prize of 3000 USD each to scale their
company including a 3month acceleration programme with
NAILAB (a leading technology hub in Nairobi).


The team was led to Kenya by one of the co-founders,
Adereni Abiodun a 600 level Veterinary Medicine Student
who is the current Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Speaking with the Co-founder, Tojola Bolaji, a 500 level
student who could not follow them to Kenya due to technical
issues, he said, “The team was initially downcast when I
could not make it down to Nairobi with them due to some
last hour technical issues.


Things looked worse when Abiodun also landed in the
hospital few hours to their flight but thank God he got well
and was able to make it …via Skype calls and video chats,
we were able to communicate and we thank God for the
outcome”


Their company HelpMum is tackling maternal and infant
mortality in Nigeria using mobile technology.
Nigeria as a nation has consistently been ranked by UNICEF
among the top largest contributor to maternal and child
mortality in the world and in every 10 minutes, at least one
woman is lost to a pregnancy related issue and about 145
under-5 years of age children daily.


Four weeks ago, HelpMum through platform of the African
Leadership Forum presented their initiative to Former
President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta and will also be
competing in the Semi-Finals of the Global Student
Entrepreneurship Award holding at the Business School
Netherlands International, Lagos on Friday March 10.

Hmmmm

First and best uni. at it again...lalasticlala,mynd44

I love my ibadan students!