UCC TESTBED HACKATHON 2026 PROMOTES AI INNOVATION FOR CHILD ONLINE SAFETY

The inaugural UCC Testbed Hackathon was held from 5th to 6th November 2026 at the National Communications Testbed, hosted at UICT, Nakawa was opened by ED, UCC who. The two-day event gathered 40 selected participants, students from different universities across Uganda, under the theme “Innovating Safer Cyber Spaces for Children through Artificial Intelligence.” The hackathon aimed to challenge the young innovators to develop practical, AI-powered solutions that address online threats to children, including cyberbullying, online grooming, harmful content and child exploitation.

The discussions emphasized that child online safety is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated efforts among parents, educational institutions, government, technology service providers and law enforcement agencies.

Participants were encouraged to develop locally relevant and practical solutions that leverage artificial intelligence to address emerging online risks while upholding children’s privacy, safety and overall well-being.

An interactive practitioners’ discussion involving representatives from the Uganda Police Force’s Child and Family Protection Unit, Psychologist and UCC’s Consumer Affairs function provided practical perspectives on child online protection, highlighting the importance of digital literacy, parental guidance, accessible and effective reporting mechanisms, and coordinated institutional responses to online abuse and exploitation.

Following two days of intensive development, mentorship and prototype demonstrations, Team 7 emerged as the overall winner, comprising Mugumya Anthony, Abenaitwe Able, Mubiru Usama Malende, Atukwase Godson and Patience Malongo. Team 5 emerged as the second-best team, comprising Zoora Harrison, Manzi Comfort Cheetah, Mukyala Dorcus, Niwasiima Ashelycole and Nanteza Sharitah.

The promising innovations and innovators from the hackathon will be engaged for further technical development through UCC’s other technology initiatives. This will support innovators in refining their prototypes and progressing towards practical solutions that can contribute to safer digital environments for children. The initiative also reinforces the role of the National Communications Testbed as a platform for research, experimentation, skills development and the advancement of homegrown technology solutions.