On March 21, 2025, the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB), in collaboration with the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS), announced the winners of the 2025 Water Resource Modelling Hackathon. 

The event took place during Water Week and aligned with World Water Day's theme, “Catchment Preservation.”

The hackathon aimed to engage university students in designing data-driven solutions to support sustainable water resource management in Rwanda. 

This second edition focused on two thematic areas: water modelling and erosion control.

In the erosion control category, Ntawigenga Irakoze Kelly was awarded first place for his innovative project titled “Extracting Radical Terraces from Satellite Imagery for Sustainable Land Management in Rwanda.” 

His solution applies deep learning techniques to automate the identification of radical terraces from satellite imagery, a method designed to improve land use planning, enhance soil conservation, and contribute to food security. 

Kelly noted that the project also supports the broader goal of achieving Zero Hunger, one of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the water modelling category, strong participation by young women stood out. Notably, Uwimana Sumayah won second place for her research titled “Development of a Rainfall-Runoff Model Using HEC-HMS to Promote Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Water Use and Management and Enhance Biodiversity Conservation in Rwanda.” 

Her model focuses on the Mbirurume catchment and aims to aid in flood risk assessment, infrastructure design, and improved water management decision-making in the context of climate change. 

Her success reflects the increasing involvement and impact of women in science and technology.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Emmanuel Rukundo, Director General of RWB, welcomed all participants to the award ceremony and encouraged them to view the experience as a platform for growth. 

He urged those who did not win to continue developing their skills, saying, “You may not win the hackathon, but you could land an interesting internship at RWB or a full-time job in the government or private sector.”

Dr. Rukundo also addressed the winners, encouraging them not to stop at this achievement but to use it as motivation to reach even greater heights. 

“Please don’t stop at this stage. Use your success to build your confidence, and I believe you have the potential to make a significant impact on your country and inspire others around the world in your field,” he added.

Jean Paul Kubwimana, Conservation Program Director at ARCOS, commended the collaboration with RWB and the University of Rwanda. 

He highlighted that the initiative had successfully enhanced the practical skills of students, resulting in promising ideas and research that can support water resource management.

A total of 59 students from various universities across Rwanda participated in the hackathon, with backgrounds in water resources, climate, urban planning, and geography. 

Of these, 40 students competed in water modelling and 19 in erosion control. After evaluation, 36 were shortlisted and 21 successfully submitted their final projects.

Four students were recognized for their outstanding contributions. In the water modelling category, Mpeta Godfrey won first place with a cash prize of one million Rwandan francs. Uwimana Sumayah and Umurerwa Sandrine followed in second and third place, winning 750,000 Rwf and 500,000 Rwf respectively. 

In the erosion control category, Ntawigenga Irakoze Kelly, the sole finalist, also received one million Rwandan francs for his work.

Reflecting on the event, Kelly expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “This competition allowed us to put our knowledge into practice, and I believe our research can contribute to conserving water resources.”

The Water Resource Modelling Hackathon, launched by RWB and ARCOS, continues to foster innovation in water management while empowering students to address real-world challenges through academic knowledge and creativity.