Sedes Sapientiae Academiae in Kiruhura District has won the 11th Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC) with an innovative multi-purpose poultry feed-making machine designed to help farmers reduce feed-processing costs and improve profitability.
The student-led Agritech innovation enables poultry farmers to chop and grind different types of animal feed at home, providing an affordable alternative to costly feed-processing services.
One of the students behind the innovation, Steven Turyamwesiimire, said the idea was inspired by challenges faced by poultry farmers who have access to raw feed materials but struggle with the cost of processing.
“Farmers have the poultry feeds but lack ways of processing them, which becomes costly. So, we decided to make a machine that can help farmers process their feeds at home without buying processed feed. This helps them reduce feeding costs by up to 60% and increase their monthly profits,” he said.
Turyamwesiimire said the machine’s ability to chop and grind different types of animal feed, while remaining affordable and accessible, sets it apart from other options available to farmers.
He credited the Stanbic National Schools Championship with equipping students with skills and confidence to identify challenges in their communities and develop practical solutions.
“Stanbic Bank has gone a long way in training young people to be job creators instead of job seekers. It is a very big achievement for us and for them. We appreciate Stanbic and urge them to continue supporting as many young people in the country as possible,” he said.
The Stanbic National Schools Championship places emphasis on practical skills, innovation, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, with the aim of equipping young people to address socio-economic challenges and prepare for the changing world of work.
Speaking at the grand finale, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Jonard Asiimwe commended the students for demonstrating creativity and problem-solving skills.
“It is a great privilege to join you as we celebrate the creativity, innovation and problem-solving abilities of Uganda’s young people in addressing community challenges,” he said.
Asiimwe said the Championship comes at an important time as Uganda transforms its education system through the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC), which places greater emphasis on practical skills, knowledge and mindsets aligned with national development priorities.
He said the CBC promotes hands-on learning and practical application, enabling students to identify and address real socio-economic challenges rather than relying primarily on memorisation and theoretical knowledge.
The Minister also called for greater emphasis on STEM skills, digital literacy and competencies relevant to strategic sectors such as agriculture, industry, healthcare and finance.
He encouraged young Ugandans to embrace emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, while promoting technology-driven industrialisation, intellectual property protection and the commercialisation of promising innovations.
Asiimwe commended Stanbic Bank and its partners for their continued investment in youth development through the National Schools Championship.
“I applaud Stanbic for helping to shift the mindset among young Ugandans from job seeking to job creation,” he said.
He noted that the Championship has evolved significantly over the past 11 years, growing from a platform focused on essays and oral quizzes on financial literacy into a national programme that equips young people with entrepreneurial, financial and problem-solving skills.
The Minister also welcomed collaboration between Government, the private sector, schools and communities in strengthening the link between education and the world of work.
Juliet Muzoora Atuhire, Commissioner for Secondary Schools at the Ministry of Education and Sports, commended Stanbic Bank for investing in young people and said the programme has benefits that extend beyond individual learners to schools and communities.
She also welcomed the Championship’s alumni component, noting that sustainability is critical to ensuring that innovations and good practices continue beyond the competition.
Stanbic Bank Uganda Chief Executive Mumba Kalifungwa congratulated all the students who participated in the 11th edition and commended their creativity, teamwork, purpose and perseverance.
He said the Championship has evolved from a quiz competition into a platform for developing practical skills needed to navigate an increasingly changing world of work.
“Ten years ago, the Championship started as a simple quiz competition, but has evolved into an exciting and popular scaling programme,” Mumba said.
Through the programme, students develop skills in teamwork, leadership, discipline, problem-solving, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.
The growing demand for the programme was reflected in this year’s participation, with applications received from more than 1,000 schools.
Stanbic increased the number of schools participating in the boot camp from 150 in 2024 to 200 in 2026, expanding the programme’s reach.
Over the past decade, Stanbic Bank has invested more than Shs7 billion in the programme, which the bank says has impacted more than half a million learners, teachers and community members, alongside other youth empowerment initiatives.
The Championship comprises two key categories: the Student Spark Challenge, which supports schools with innovative ideas, and the Business Fellowship, which enables alumni students and teachers from previous seasons to further refine and scale their businesses.
Mumba said youth empowerment remains closely aligned with Stanbic Bank’s purpose and sustainability agenda, particularly as Uganda addresses youth unemployment.
“With nearly 75% of the population under 30 years of age and 11 million students enrolled in formal education, the NSC aims to equip students with essential skills that encourage self-initiative, to be proactive rather than just react,” he said.
This year’s prize pool exceeded Shs100 million, with support going towards students, schools and their entrepreneurial journeys.
Mumba reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to investing in young people as part of its wider purpose of contributing to Uganda’s economic transformation.
“At Stanbic Bank, our purpose is, ‘Uganda is our home, we drive her growth’. We believe that purposeful investment in young people, who make up the majority of our population, is critical for Uganda’s transformational agenda,” he said.
The commitment is also reflected in Stanbic’s three-year Positive Impact Agenda, which earmarks Shs1 trillion by 2028 to unlock opportunities for women, youth and farmers.
The agenda focuses on enterprise development and job creation, infrastructure development, access to finance, climate resilience and corporate philanthropy, with the aim of fostering innovation, building resilience and promoting inclusive growth.
As Stanbic Bank marks 35 years of operations in Uganda, the National Schools Championship forms part of its broader investment in developing a generation of young people equipped to innovate, create jobs and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
Mumba also stressed the importance of ensuring that innovation is accompanied by sustainability and responsible development.
“As we laud innovation, we must also remember our responsibility to the planet and society. We urgently need innovative solutions designed with sustainability in mind. Young people can drive sustainable growth through fresh innovation, digital skills, and community action,” he said.
Iganga Secondary School emerged as the first runner-up, while St Kizito High School Namugongo was the second runner-up and Aga Khan High School finished third.
The 11th Stanbic National Schools Championship closes another chapter in a programme that has evolved from a financial literacy competition into a national platform for nurturing Uganda’s next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and problem-solvers.
