Two Kenyan students outshine 1,600 competitors in NASA’s Blue Dot challenge

Linus Anari, a Geospatial Engineering student at the University of Nairobi, and Eileen Mburu, a Geographer, have brought pride to Kenya by emerging victorious in a prestigious global competition organised by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The two young innovators were among the winners of the Blue Dot Challenge, a competition aimed at addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues, including climate change, water scarcity, and food insecurity.

The Blue Dot Challenge tasked participants with creating visualisations using Earth Observation data to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly zero hunger, clean water, and climate action.

Linus and Eileen were motivated to participate by the devastating impact of prolonged floods in Northern Kenya, a region that had earlier suffered from extended droughts due to El Niño rains during the October-November-December season.

After connecting with residents of Northern Kenya through a colleague in the Red Cross, the duo realised that the region was trapped in a vicious cycle of extreme weather events.

“The Northern Kenya regions are inevitably bound to return to drought conditions, creating a repetitive cycle that exacerbates food insecurity and water scarcity,” Eileen explained.

To combat these challenges, Linus and Eileen developed a Geographic Information System (GIS) that provides crucial insights into food security hot spots in Northern Kenya.

Their innovation is designed to facilitate targeted interventions, enabling authorities and humanitarian organisations to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events on food security in the region.

“Our GIS tool is not just about mapping; it’s about saving lives by ensuring that resources are directed where they are needed most,” Linus highlighted.

The system is expected to revolutionise the way agricultural production and livelihoods dependent on agrifood systems are integrated into spatial analyses in food security assessments in Kenya.

Their efforts stood out among 1,600 participants from over 100 countries, including the USA, Mexico, Botswana, Brazil, Senegal, and Argentina.

During this programme, they had the unique opportunity to fly at the Rocket Center, further expanding their knowledge and experience.