Grand Challenges Canada Announces First-Ever Winner of Rotman Innovation of The Year Award, Kenya’s Hewatele
Award developed on the celebration of GCC’s 10th anniversary: More than a billion dollars leveraged to support over 1,300 developments in 106 countries, leading to 38,000 lives conserved and 7.54 million lives improved to date with the prospective to save 1.78 million lives and enhance 64 million lives by 2030
Toronto, October 20, 2020— Grand Challenges Canada– a Canadian nonprofit organization, mainly funded by the Federal government of Canada, which invests in novel, local innovations that attend to vital global health, humanitarian and Native community difficulties in Canada and low-resource nations– is pleased to announce that is the inaugural recipient of its. Hewatele is a Kenyan-owned and -run social enterprise with a mission to resolve the absence of access to medical grade oxygen for rural and local health care centers by producing, delivering and servicing an environment-friendly, low-cost, safe and trustworthy oxygen option.
The Rotman Innovation of the Year Award, which includes a $10,000 CAD cash reward, was produced on the occasion of our 10th anniversary and to honour the late Joseph Rotman, the founding Chair of Grand Challenges Canada. Mr. Rotman saw the capacity of GCC to catalyze innovations that can sustain and grow their effect over time. His vision is well embodied in the work of Hewatele and the numerous other developments that have actually been supported by our company over the past ten years.
The Award recognizes the development supported by Grand Difficulties Canada (including financing from the Every Lady Every Kid Innovation Market) that has made the largest sustainable increase in lives saved or lives improved over the past year. Developments that have actually attained operational break-even and/or secured a continual source of public financing are preferred.
“Access to medical oxygen is a crucial part of an operating health system. And there still remains considerable oxygen deserts that are devoid of this necessary medicine,” said Karlee Silver, Grand Challenges Canada’s Co-CEO. “Thanks to collaborations with County federal governments, Hewatele currently runs 3 plants in Kenya supply quality medical oxygen to public and personal health facilities that jointly serve countless people. These oxygen plants have actually all achieved operational breakeven; this design is set for future expansion.”
Jocelyn Mackie, Grand Challenges Canada’s Co-CEO, added: “Together with our partners and the innovators we support, such as Hewatele, we have come a long method in just a years. We have shown the significance of our special niche in the global development for impact environment– we are willing to handle development danger that other investors are not willing or able to manage.”
To check out the Rotman Household statement on the development of the Rotman Innovation of the Year Award and the choice of Hewatele, click .
To watch Hewatele’s reaction on winning the Rotman Development of the Year Award, click .
Hewatele: saving lives, one breath at a time
Founded by public health professional and business owner Dr. Bernard Olayo, Hewatele (“Abundant Air” in Swahili) is changing health system advancement and shipment in sub-Saharan Africa. Leading its operations is UK-trained infectious disease specialist and CEO Dr. Steve Adudans.
Hewatele is interfering with present oxygen production monopolies by operating oxygen plants near clusters of health facilities in order to simplify distribution and decrease expenses. Their “milk man” delivery system enables them to disperse medical oxygen at a much lower point rate (at least 30% cheaper than market value) than existing oxygen manufacturers who are generally situated in industrial locations of large cities.
Considering that very first getting support from GCC in 2017, Hewatele has grown to offer medical oxygen to 140+ health facilities that serve over 10 million individuals. As an outcome, they have saved over 18,000 lives and enhanced another 18,000 more. Hewatele is likewise supplying oxygen to two of Kenya’s COVID-19 health centers in reaction to the urgent requirement for oxygen throughout the pandemic. This element of their work was supported by a separate grant from Grand Difficulties Canada, as part of GCC’s and the Federal government of Canada’s broader efforts to support the reaction to COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries.
Pleased 10th birthday to Grand Difficulties Canada
In 2008, the Canadian government announced the creation of the Advancement Innovation Fund in the Federal Budget plan, which resulted in the creation of Grand Challenges Canada in 2010. Go to for our digital content project to commemorate the past 10 years, consisting of a series of social videos that showcase the work that innovators are doing, with Grand Difficulties Canada’s support, in areas such as maternal, newborn and kid health, gender equality, and the COVID-19 pandemic response.
About Grand Difficulties Canada
Grand Challenges Canada is dedicated to supporting Bold Concepts with Big Impact®. Funded by the Federal Government of Canada and other partners, Grand Challenges Canada funds innovators in low- and middle-income countries and Canada. The bold ideas Grand Challenges Canada supports incorporate science and innovation, social and service development– called Integrated Development®.
Among the largest impact-first financiers in Canada, Grand Challenges Canada has actually supported a pipeline of over 1,300 innovations in 106 countries. Grand Challenges Canada approximates that these developments have the potential to conserve approximately 1.78 million lives and enhance up to 64 million lives by 2030.
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To learn more, please contact:
Douglas Chow, Elder Supervisor, Communications
Grand Challenges Canada
* safeguarded email *
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