A team of four Ashesi University students competed in the Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition, placing first in the Africa–Middle East region and earning bronze overall. The team, Reseau Est, comprised Cartier Scholars Sandrine Uwase’27 and Prosperine Hollande Nduwayo’27, alongside Mastercard Foundation Scholars Eunice Sayubu’26 and Divine La Grace Igirubuntu’26.

Focusing on Ethiopia, the team began by examining the everyday realities of rural farmers, including high post-harvest losses and unreliable links to urban markets. These insights informed their response, E-Network. This is a three-tier, interconnected solution comprising EN Hub, EN Digital, and EN Transport, designed to move produce more efficiently from farm to market.

The EN Hub centers on community-based storage facilities where farmers can store produce for a small fee, reducing post-harvest losses. These storage facilities would be operated by young people within the community, creating local employment opportunities. Building on this foundation, EN Digital connects farmers and buyers through a mobile platform supported by short codes accessible on basic phones. Farmers can list available produce, while buyers browse listings and plan purchases. For those without smartphones or digital literacy, trained agents stationed at the storage hubs provide on ground support.

Completing the system, EN Transport consolidates stored produce at the hubs and moves it to urban markets in full truckloads at lower cost. By reducing per-unit transport expenses, the model addresses the logistical inefficiencies that often prevent smallholder farmers from accessing larger and more profitable markets

“This competition has made us realize how crucial supply change is to society’s progress,”  Sandrine Uwase’27 shared. “There are challenges around us that we don’t notice until we start connecting the dots.”

“The team moved beyond isolated fixes to design a truly integrated system,” faculty advisor Sihaam Mohammed Sayuti said. “Grounded in African realities, their proposed solution demonstrated contextual awareness and a strong grasp of interconnected development challenges.”