On 10 December 2025, three young Kenyan engineers made history at the Palais Wilson in Geneva when their team, DuniAfrika, was named the Global Grand Prize winner of the 2025 IBM Call for Code Global Challenge. Their innovation, LINDA, named after the Kiswahili word for "protect"emerged victorious from more than 29,000 entries worldwide, becoming the first project from Africa and the Middle East to win the competition in its eight-year history.

Organized by IBM in partnership with the United Nations Human Rights Office and the Linux Foundation, the competition recognizes technology-driven solutions addressing pressing global challenges. DuniAfrika's victory earned the team USD 50,000 to advance LINDA's development, while the University of Nairobi, Kirinyaga University, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology each received USD 10,000 in recognition of the team's achievement as the world's top-ranked university participants.

The story of DuniAfrika began long before Geneva. Founders Hawona Rodgers, Robert Odhiambo, and Ridan Hawi grew up together in Ongata Rongai and attended Vicodec School, where their education was supported by the non-profit organization Kenya Works. United by a passion for technology and problem-solving, they established DuniAfrika in 2023 and built a reputation through Nairobi's vibrant innovation and developer ecosystem.

Today, the founders are students at three Kenyan public universities. Hawona studies Software Engineering at Kirinyaga University, Ridan is pursuing Electrical and Electronic Engineering at JKUAT, while Robert Odhiambo is a fourth-year Electrical and Electronics Engineering student at the University of Nairobi and serves as the team's Chief Technology Officer.

LINDA was inspired by a workplace accident involving the parent of one of the founders. The experience highlighted the safety challenges faced by millions of workers in Kenya's informal sector. Designed as an AI-powered occupational safety assistant, LINDA operates through WhatsApp, eliminating the need for downloads or technical training. Workers can send text, images, or voice notes describing their work environment, and the platform powered by IBM Granite AI models provides immediate safety guidance in English and Kiswahili.

Its strength lies in its accessibility. By leveraging a platform already used by millions, LINDA delivers practical safety solutions to workers who may otherwise have limited access to occupational health resources. The team has since secured copyright protection for the innovation and registered the venture as a company.

For the University of Nairobi, Robert Odhiambo's role in the team's success is a source of pride. As CTO, he leads the technical architecture behind LINDA and other products under the DuniAfrika portfolio, including Keverd, a device intelligence and fraud-prevention platform serving African fintech institutions.

DuniAfrika has since formalized its operations through Dunexa Technologies Limited in Kenya and is positioning itself for international growth. Guided by a belief in technological sovereignty, the founders are committed to building African solutions for global challenges.

From Ongata Rongai to Geneva, DuniAfrika's journey demonstrates the transformative power of education, innovation, and determination and highlights the growing impact of Kenyan universities in shaping the next generation of global technology leaders.