Nigeria’s Elizabeth Kperrun, 4 Others win Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s Inaugural Champions of Science – Africa Storytelling Challenge

Elizabeth Kperrun | Photo: James Oatway for the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation has announced five winners of the first Champions of Science – Africa Storytelling Challenge. The Challenge aimed to highlight the journeys of scientists and innovators working in Africa, and celebrate the impact of their work on families, communities and the world.

The Challenge received more than 100 entries from scientists and innovators in 22 African nations, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, among others.

An independent committee of scientists, science journalists and policymakers selected the winners, who will receive a $5,000 cash prize, publication of their stories, and international publicity.

The Africa Storytelling Challenge is part of Johnson & Johnson’s ongoing commitment to convene and catalyze champions of science and to engage people of all generations and backgrounds to see the unlimited opportunities that science brings.

Champions of Science – Africa Storytelling Challenge Winners

• Askwar Hilonga, Ph.D., Tanzania, whose story profiles his invention of a low-cost water filter to clean contaminated water in rural areas
• Elizabeth Kperrun, Nigeria , whose story describes her work to develop award-winning language learning tools for children.
• Philippa Ngaju Makobore, Uganda , who described how she and a team of engineers prototyped an automated non-invasive infusion controller to safely and accurately regulate life-saving intravenous fluids and drugs in resource-constrained settings including hospitals and treatment spaces with unreliable power supply.
• Maame Ekua Manful, Ghana , who described her journey to form a start-up to create fortified foods to address the issue of vitamin A deficiency syndrome prevalent in developing countries.
• Levit Nudi, Kenya , whose story profiles his development of an innovative mobile app to prevent use of counterfeit or substandard medicines.