Inno4Kg challenge is seeking new ideas to address the emerging social end economic needs amidst the pandemic

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the State Agency on ICT of  Kyrgyzstan and the High Technology Park, invites innovators, private companies and civil society organizations to take part in a contest Inno4Kg – Innovation for Kyrgyzstan. The contest is expected to generate speedy, diverse and effective solutions designed to tackle the cascading effects of the coronavirus pandemic and address the acute needs of the vulnerable populations.

The Inno4Kg challenge aims to support those isolated at home, seeking solutions for managing mental health and social care. It focuses on self-education, networking and social connections, innovative solutions for unmanned production and delivery, as well as on exploring new ways to ease the burden on healthcare providers.

Projects will be carried out in May – September 2020 with each of the contest winners receiving up to USD 10,000 for their implementation. The additional information and application forms are available on the UNDP website.   

The Inno4Kg challenge is part of the joint humanitarian response under the Disaster Response Coordination Unit (DRCU) which was activated on 16 March 2020 following the request of the Government of Kyrgyzstan to assist COVID-19 emergency preparedness and response and set a stage for early recovery.

DRCU is a joint venture of the United Nations and the Government of Kyrgyzstan set in motion in 2008. It is chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan and comprises of representatives of the government ministries, UN agencies, international and local NGOs and the donor community. DRCU prioritizes and channels its support under six priority areas: early recovery, education, food security and logistics, health, protection, and a joint sector for water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and non-food items (NFI).

Media contact:

Ainagul Abdrakhmanova, UNDP in Kyrgyzstan, ainagul.abdrakhmanova@undp.org