Marrieta Kazungu: Meet Kilifi Girl Who Uses Technology To Solve Community Health, Bags Student Prize 2023

• Global Students Prize entered its third year in 2023, short-listing 50 students for over KSh 14.3 million prize
• Marrieta Kazungu, a student at St Thomas Girls Secondary in Kilifi, emerged among the 50 finalists and top 10 in Africa
• Kazungu leverages science and technology to offer solutions for better healthcare in remote and rural communities

Kenya is on the global map once again, thanks to the Young Scientist Awards and the Student Prize won by a Kilifi school girl in 2023.

Marrieta Kazungu, a student at St Thomas Girls Secondary in Kilifi County, signed the country among the top 50 students shortlisted for the Chegg.org Global Students Prize 2023.

What Global Students Prize 2023 picked from Kazungu

The 18-year-old emerged among 10 African students who ranked in the list of 50 finalists for the $100,000 (KSh 14.3 million) prize.

Chegg.org noted that the 2023 finalists made a huge impact on their remote communities in terms of health, education and poverty eradication.

"Our finalists this year have made a huge impact in their communities in areas from the environment to equality and justice, from health and wellbeing to education and skills, and from youth empowerment to ending poverty. They have been chosen from around the world and are all champions of change," the oragnisation wrote.

How Marrieta Kazungu uses science and technology

The organisation noted Kazungu uses science and technology to offer solutions for better healthcare in remote and rural communities.

The 2023 Form Four candidate developed a biomedical device (covixbreathlizer) for detecting and testing respiratory infections like COVID-19, which turned out to be her most significant innovation.

Her role as the school's science and innovation club president inspired many young girls like Swabrina Chepkemoi - her classmate - to use technology and offer solutions to communities.

Kazungu launched the "Let's Kick Malnutrition Out of Kilifi" campaign to create awareness about the dangers of malnutrition.

The campaign received support from organizations like AfyaBoost Care, providing immune-boosting products to vulnerable children and families.

Marrietta Kazungu's science and innovation awards

Kazungu represented Kenya in the BT Young Scientist of Ireland exhibition in 2023.

She received a scholarship award at Strathmore University for her outstanding innovation and research during Young Scientists Kenya.

The young innovator emerged as the Young Scientists Kenya winner in 2021 and won the Rise Project competition in 2022.

She was also crowned the Kenya Innovation Agency Student of the Year in 2021.

What drives Marrietta Kazungu's innovations

According to St Thomas Girls Secondary School principal Eunice Mwaiseghe, Kazungu is a go-getter and loves giving back to society.

"She is a brilliant, outgoing and very confident girl. She is headed for greater things... has a passion for innovation and giving back to the society," said Mwaiseghe, as quoted by Daily Nation.

Mwaseghe revealed that Kazungu is currently in London for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2023 ceremony, together with other students from Maryhill and St Starehe Girls.

Kazungu's mother, Drufenna Doris Kulola, expressed her happiness, saying her daughter developed a passion for science at a tender age.

The Global Student Prize said the prize funds would support Kazungu's community health programs, empower girls and young women, and scale up her biomedical kit for commercialisation.

Kenyan Maasai man wins European Inventor Award 2023

Kazungu's recognition in the global innovation award came at a time Kenya was still in a celebratory mood after a man from Maasai land won European Inventor Award 2023.

Richard Turere emerged as the winner of the 2023 edition, picking over KSh 3 million for his Lion Lights.

The 22-year-old Maasai man's invention seeks to prevent human-wildlife conflict and ensure the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal life on land.

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Marrieta Kazungu uses science and technology to offer community healthcare solutions.

Marrieta Kazungu: Meet Kilifi Girl Who Uses Technology to Solve Community Health, Bags Student

Marrieta Kazungu: Meet Kilifi Girl Who Uses Technology to Solve Community Health, Bags Student