On October 24, 2025, Elly Savatia, a 25-year-old technology innovator from Kenya, won the prestigious 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, receiving £50,000 (approximately KSh 8.6 million). His groundbreaking platform, Terp 360, leverages artificial intelligence and 3D avatars to instantly translate speech and text into sign language, effectively bridging communication gaps for the deaf community. Often likened to a “Google Translate for sign language,” Terp 360 enables real-time interaction between deaf and hearing individuals without the need for interpreters. Developed in collaboration with the deaf community, it currently translates English and Swahili into Kenyan Sign Language, featuring over 2,300 motion-tracked signs. Savatia aims to expand the platform to include multiple African sign languages. His innovative approach showcases Africa’s capacity for cutting-edge tech solutions to address local and global challenges, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in technology. Savatia plans to utilize the prize funds to pilot Terp 360 across various African nations.
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