…Chibok survivor gets recognition
The SASIE (Sought After School of Innovation & Entrepreneurship) is breaking down barriers and empowering women in tech to drive innovative businesses.
Two women entrepreneurs has emerged winners of the SASIE Idea to Venture programme, with one of them being a courageous woman tech founder who survived the 2014 Chibok school abduction.
According to the organisation, the Idea to Venture programme is SASIE’s annual flagship training, designed to take African women with tech startup ideas from concept to launch in just six weeks, guided by experts and mentors from across the globe.
Mary Katambi, founder of Kaiki, is a Chibok survivor who has channelled her resilience into a vision for sustainability. Her startup, Kaiki, is an online marketplace that helps people buy and sell gently used fashion, home appliances, and furniture items, making sustainable living accessible to everyday households.
“The Chibok experience was one of the most painful moments of my life, but it also became the point where I learned how strong I could be. I was able to move forward because of the support I received, the change of environment that gave me space to heal, and the individuals who believed in me and invested in my future,” Katami said while receiving the award.
“Their faith reminded me that I was more than what I had gone through. Step by step, I turned my struggles into strength and focused on education and opportunities with a new determination to make a difference through God’s favor and individuals’ help,” she added.
Alongside her is Irene Udebuana, founder of Robotprof, a gamechanger in climate tech education. Through Robotprof, she equips children aged 7–16 with coding, robotics, and green tech skills, preparing a new generation to thrive in a sustainable future.
Together, these two women represent the spirit of SASIE: turning courage, knowledge, and vision into ventures that matter.
“This moment is more than a win, it’s proof that young African women, regardless of their past or profession, can shape the future of technology and business,” said Jennifer Daniel, founder of SASIE.
“Mary and Irene embody exactly why SASIE exists: to unlock bold ideas and build powerful women-led ventures across the continent.”
The winners will each receive a founders’ grant, monthly mentorship, the opportunity to apply as pioneer ventures to Eunoia VC incubator, and media exposure including a feature on Startup Sisi on Women Radio 91.7.
In just two cohorts, SASIE’s Idea to Venture programme has trained more than 1,000 women founders from across Africa. Each one represents a step in building Africa’s future and SASIE is proving that when women rise, ecosystems move.
“If you’re serious about the future of women in African innovation, then you must be watching the women coming out of SASIE,” Daniel said.
