At the heart of Kenya’s vibrant innovation landscape, three exceptional mathematical scientists – Cabrine Nyona, MaryAnn Mueni, and Laetitia Christine – have been at the forefront of revolutionising digital solutions for social challenges in Africa. Their work has been instrumental in transforming in-person research interventions into innovative digital formats across multiple African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, and Tanzania.
The Global Parenting Initiative (GPI) Innovate grant proved pivotal for INNODEMS. Led by the visionary leadership of Zach Mbasu, INNODEMS’s mission has been to identify mathematically gifted individuals and equip them with the technical and professional skills needed to tackle Africa’s most pressing challenges. Thanks to the grant, INNODEMS has emerged as a dynamic hub of digital innovation and research methods specialisation, transforming from a small research organisation to a pioneering force in community and educational development. This evolution is rooted in a deeply collaborative, impact-driven ecosystem with IDEMS International, a social enterprise dedicated to leveraging digital technologies for social impact.
A remarkable and stand-out example of the organisation’s ripple effect is Ateamate Mukabana, whose skills, nurtured through the GPI framework, propelled her to lead the technical development of a Conflict Forecast App. Through a World Food Programme Accelerator grant, Conflict Forecast App maps and forecasts socio-economic and political violence hotspots in Kenya, exemplifying how the capacity built within GPI translates into impactful, real-world solutions.
WASHApp, FacilitatorApp, and the piloting of Early Family Math App in Kenya stand as key milestones in the INNODEMS team digital innovation journey. Working with the IDEMS International and Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH) digital solutions team, INNODEMS has progressed from supporting roles to becoming primary architects of digital solutions, demonstrating an ability to translate complex research requirements into innovative technological tools. Other digital programmes supported include ParentApp for Teens and ParentApp for Kids (Tanzania), Parenting for Respectability App (Uganda) and the Malezi Bora Parenting for Street Families Programme (Kenya).
INNODEMS’s innovative approach extends beyond technological solutions. A six-month training programme for gap-year students between high school and university has been particularly transformative, focusing on developing 21st-century skills including software development, programming, professional communication, website editing, and user research methodologies. Of the ten initial participants, two have grown into core software developers for INNODEMS and other external partner projects.
Core principles driving INNODEMS work include contextualised problem-solving, local innovation, long-term collaborations, and a commitment to creating solutions with communities – not merely for them. INNODEMS seeks to move beyond “ivory tower” solutions, embracing a hands-on, collaborative approach to achieving sustainable impact.
Looking ahead, the organisation looks to continue to scale its digital projects across different countries, guided by a commitment to user-centred design, capacity building, and transformative innovation. Each project, each intern, and each grant will represent another chapter in INNODEMS’ ongoing narrative of growth and meaningful technological advancement grounded on local innovation, technical expertise, and a profound understanding of community needs.
