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Six startups from across Africa have been awarded a total of US$500,000 from Facebook after winning the Internet.org Innovation Challenge.

Disrupt Africa reported last year Facebook launched its Internet.org Innovation Challenge in Africa, looking to recognise African developers working on apps, websites and services for learning and economic empowerment.

Two Innovation Challenge Award winners walked away with US$150,000, while four Impact Award winners took home US$50,000 each.

In the education category, Ghanaian startup Esoko was named the overall winner. The company uses web and mobile apps to enable two-way data flows that allow smallholder farmers to access vital agricultural information and markets.

Impact Award winners in the same category were Ghanaian anti-counterfeiting solution mPedigree Goldkeys and Nigerian maternal health platform SaferMom.

The winner of the Economic Empowerment category was South African company Hyperion Development, an online course platform for computer science education, which allows anyone to take online courses in coding with a personal computer or mobile phone.

Impact Award winners were Ghanaian drug affordability service Mutti by mPharma, and Nigeria’s Tuteria, which connects people seeking to learn with people around them who can teach.

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