Ruwa Social Innovation Hub: Empowering Youth
Ruwa Social Innovation Hub fosters youth creativity, developing eco-friendly solutions and enhancing communication for children with hearing impairments.
At just 26 and 24 years old, Grace Daka and Simbarashe Masamba have always dreamt of being part of the solution. They never thought they would be able to design something that could transform their community. Growing up, Grace dreamed of making a difference but lacked the tools and guidance to bring her ideas to life. That changed with introducing the BOOST social innovation hub at Ruwa Vocational Training Centre, offering young people like Grace and Simbarashe an environment with resources, mentorship, and training to develop entrepreneurial and digital skills.
Their innovative project, EcoGlow lights, addresses a pressing problem in rural schools and remote areas: the lack of reliable electricity. Powered by water through electrolysis, EcoGlow lights provide a sustainable, maintenance-free lighting solution that improves safety, education, and productivity while promoting environmental conservation. This initiative empowers rural communities to thrive sustainably, helping bridge the digital divide.
In addition to the EcoGlow project, another group of young innovators at the hub has developed Little Signs, a groundbreaking initiative to improve communication for children with hearing impairments. Little Signs is a web-based application designed to teach Zimbabwean Sign Language to deaf children and anyone interested in learning it.
The app offers interactive lessons, engaging activities, and video tutorials, making learning sign language easier for children and adults. The application has the potential to revolutionise communication for children with hearing impairments, particularly in rural areas where resources for children with disabilities are limited.
Through Little Signs, the BOOST hub continues to foster an inclusive space for innovation, where young minds are empowered to solve real-world challenges and contribute to their communities.
The hub in Ruwa is supported by several key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training (MOYEDVT), which aligns the project with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) to promote youth innovation and policy development. Most notably, thanks to the funding by the German National Committee for UNICEF.
The Ministry of ICT is critical in ensuring regulatory support for digital advancements. At the same time, the Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC) mobilises young people from surrounding areas, including Tongogara Refugee Camp, to participate in the hub's initiatives.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare ensure the protection and inclusion of vulnerable groups, particularly youth refugees and asylum-seekers, creating a safe and empowering environment for all participants. Ruwa Vocational Training Centre provides the essential infrastructure, and BOOST, with support from UNICEF Zimbabwe, continues to mentor and incubate youth-led innovations. Since 2018, BOOST has impacted over 123,150 adolescents through the imaGen Ventures Youth Innovation Challenge, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation nationwide.
