Blog - @iLabAfrica

11Jul 2024 by @iLabAfrica No Comments

Victor Nzioka’s Inspirational Return to School After 14 Years

Data Science

‘Imagine balancing a demanding job, intense coursework, and family life all at once – it was like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle!’ Meet Victor Nzioka, husband, Enterprise Manager at KWAL, girl dad, and recent graduate of Master in Data Science and Analytics to add to his long list of accomplishments. Victor’s journey is a testament to George Herbert’s famous quote, ‘Where there is a will there's a way.’ He returned to school after establishing himself in his career to pursue his passion for data science. A decision that many would shy away from further solidified Victor’s determination to pursue his passion despite facing adversity. Mr. Nzioka, a man of relentless activity, bestowed upon us a rare honor by sparing his valuable time to reflect and recount his journey…

26Jun 2024 by @iLabAfrica 3 Comments

Zaibu Juma: Eradicating Malaria Through Data Science

Data Science

Zaibu Juma is on a mission. A mission to eradicate malaria as stipulated in the 3rd UN Sustainable Development Goal, Good Health and Wellbeing. He is in the process of creating a deep-learning model that can be used to classify mosquito larvae as either microsporidium positive or negative. This is because microsporidia is a parasite known to hinder the development of plasmodium which causes malaria. The model can be accessed via a smartphone which records video data and then provides a classification report on the phone. ‘One of the reasons that inspired me to do this project is because malaria is a real problem in Kenya. It was one of the diseases that have been earmarked by Kenya's Mission 2030 and the United Nations' sustainable development goals and working on…

25Jun 2024 by @iLabAfrica No Comments

CIO Leadership Programme: Empowering Information Officers for Leadership Roles.

Leadership

Graduation is one of life’s major accomplishments. It is a day for the graduates’ hard work, resilience, and dedication to be celebrated. For the CIO Leadership Programme, this inaugural graduation ceremony marked the physical manifestation of years of hard work, planning, and collaborating to make this programme a possibility and for the graduates the extra sprinkle of being the first cohort of many more. Friday 31st May 2024 found the Microsoft auditorium filled with cheers, good-humoured banter, and an overall sense of accomplishment as the small but mighty class of eight celebrated the day with their family and lecturers. The event started with opening remarks by Dr. Joseph Sevilla, The Director of the CIO leadership programme, who commenced the event on a cheerful note remarking on the presence of the…

24Jun 2024 by @iLabAfrica 2 Comments

Coding Hacks I Wish I Knew as a Newbie: Emmanuel Kweyu

E-Health

2021 saw a rise in demand for software programmers as the world fully embraced the digital era due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This demand spread across the globe like wildfire, in Kenya tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Africa Development Centre set up offices, investing millions of dollars into hiring local talent. The demand for programmers shows no signs of slowing down as businesses continue to digitalize and new technologies emerge, as their need intensifies. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, it is estimated that by 2025, technological automation will also create around 97 million new job opportunities in predominantly technology-focused industries, further emphasizing the importance of programming skills. So before you leap into this exciting world of 1s and 0s, it is important to seek insights…

13Jun 2024 by @iLabAfrica 2 Comments

@iLabAfrica and Save the Children Join Forces for Child Well-Being

Research & Innovation

@iLabAfrica at Strathmore University celebrated a significant milestone by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Save the Children International, Kenya, on Tuesday, May 21st, 2024. This collaboration is set to leverage @iLabAfrica's expertise in data analysis and processing to assist Save the Children in comprehensively understanding infant mortality trends based on data collected from over 210 countries. In his remarks, Mr. Ahmed Osman, Acting Director at Save the Children, highlighted the alignment between @iLabAfrica and Save the Children's initiatives focused on care and development. This acknowledgment underscored the significance of the MoU signing as a foundation for further collaboration on projects related to digital child protection, education for underprivileged children from the basic level upwards, and reducing child mortality. While addressing the importance of child protection and advocacy, Mr.…

12Jun 2024 by @iLabAfrica No Comments

Strathmore University Leading the Pack in Unlocking Africa’s Potential with 3D Printing Technology

IoT & Wireless Networks

@iLabAfrica Innovation & Research Centre in Strathmore University is hosting a 2-week 3D Modelling, Design, and Printing Course that shall commence on June 17th. The program will provide participants with the right theoretical aspects and the hands-on skills and knowledge they need to become experts in this field. When you think of 3D printing, you might conjure futuristic technology seemingly reserved for the affluent corners of the world. 3D printing is breaking barriers, becoming increasingly accessible and affordable even in middle-income nations like Kenya. This groundbreaking technology is already weaving its transformative threads into the fabric of the Kenyan economy, and the horizon of its potential is boundless. For those who might not be familiar, 3D printing is a marvel of modern engineering. It’s a process where three-dimensional objects are…

10Jun 2024 by @iLabAfrica 1 Comment

Empowering Female Entrepreneurs In Tech: Lessons from the #SCWomenInTech Bootcamp

Innovation & Incubation, Women in Tech

@iBizAfrica – Strathmore University, in partnership with Standard Chartered Bank launched Cohort 7 of its Women in Tech Program, under their joint initiative, the Women in Tech Incubator program. With sustainability as its central theme, the program aims to empower female entrepreneurs leveraging technology to pivot their businesses towards environmentally and socially responsible practices. Amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the @iBizAfrica Incubation Centre at Strathmore University, June 3rd and 4th marked a pivotal moment as over 80 determined female entrepreneurs converged for the #SCWomenInTech Bootcamp. Here, they eagerly soaked up essential skills vital for navigating the complexities of today’s business landscape.. Day 1 kicked off with discussions on the key aspect of Customer Discovery and Validation, led by Robert Yawe from Synaptech Solutions. Participants engaged in practical exercises to pinpoint their…

31May 2024 by @iLabAfrica 2 Comments

@iLabAfrica Research Scholars Scoop 3rd place at the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) Innovation Challenge

Artificial Intelligence

On the 29th of April, 2024 The Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI), in partnership with Caava VantagePoint AI (CVPAI), embarked on an Artificial Intelligence Innovation challenge for the insurance industry. @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University was represented by four research scholars at @iLabAfrica pursuing their Masters in Data Science and Analytics. Dubbed the Tunga team, the group comprised Lindah Kelida, Derrick Lubanga, Sharon Tonui, and David Nene. The team emerged 3rd overall in the challenge with a prize of 1 hour of consultancy worth KSH. 60,000. 1. Before we begin, Congratulations on your win. What was Tunga’s motivation to sign up for the hackathon? We are currently experimenting with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, as well as different AI communications and domains, so our motivating factor was to use this as an…

29May 2024 by @iLabAfrica 1 Comment

From Student to Developer: @iLabAfrica’s Certificate Programme shaping the future of Software Development

Software Development

On Friday 17th May 2024, the @iLabAfrica graduated its first cohort of the Software Development program. The day was filled with joy, laughter, and an overall sense of triumph as they gathered for their graduation. The cafeteria was specially decorated with vibrant school cues, complimenting the students dressed to the nines for their special day. The event commenced with opening remarks by Mr. Ivan Bunyali, Program Coordinator at the Executive Education Department, who set the tone of celebration reminiscing on how each student had their expectations and goals when they signed up for the program. He congratulated them on their tenacity when enduring the long nights to meet assignments alongside their project deadlines and their ability to come together as a class regardless of their individual goals. He urged…

23May 2024 by @iLabAfrica No Comments

Securing the Digital Frontier: Expert Tips from @iLabAfrica’s Alex Osunga

Cybersecurity

Picture this. You leave work in the evening with everything perfectly in order, only to wake up the next day to find that your systems across multiple departments have been hacked by a political organization. What would you do? This was the grim reality of the KFC Fast Food Franchise on the morning of 5th May 2024. Customers in their restaurants were confronted with screens displaying messages from the Mutarrif Hamas Islamic Force, announcing a cyberattack creating a buzz on social media. This ‘cyberattack,’ more accurately described as website defacement, occurs when malicious parties infiltrate a website and replace content on the site with their messages. The messages mostly convey a political or religious message, profanity, or other inappropriate content that would embarrass website owners, or a notice that a…