Ntyam Princia Minko

Ntyam, a dynamic student leader from Cameroon, is a rising voice for equity, innovation, and inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa. In a society where girls are often discouraged from pursuing sciences, she chose the road less taken – topping her class in STEM subjects and now mentoring more than 500 students as a STEM Academy Cameroon Ambassador.

Her passion for equity began early: at just 14, she started volunteering with UNICEF Cameroon and PENASED Cameroon, where she assisted in training 100 vulnerable children in photography. Her impact expanded nationally when she co-founded MOTUWA, a safety-tech platform designed to combat rising cases of assault on public transportation. Motuwa provides essential details like taxi registration numbers, drivers' batch numbers, estimated arrival/departure times, and live location tracking – facilitating swift investigations when incidents occur. Motuwa is not only useful after disasters, as it offers an emergency button that allows users to quickly notify relatives or the authorities in case of danger.

Through her non-profit, the GiHoN Foundation, Ntyam leads education access, relief, and psychosocial support initiatives for internally displaced persons (IDPs), orphaned children, and youth in crisis zones. Environmentally, she is one of the minds behind BIOREX, a green enterprise that recycles biodegradable waste into cooking fuel, aquaculture feed, bio-oils, and organic fertiliser. This project not only promotes climate resilience but creates circular economy pathways in underserved communities.

Ntyam has received a great deal of recognition for her work, including being named a Rise Finalist, a Urega Scholar, a Top 10 Young Entrepreneur AwardX winner, and a recipient of a Cynthia Atam Besong full scholarship due to outstanding results at O level. She’s also won five interschool STEM competitions as well as a speaking invitation from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications on Girls in ICT Day. Her leadership is not just technical or academic – it is deeply empathetic and community-driven.

As a champion for youth-led innovation, gender equity and safety, Ntyam is building a safer, more inclusive and sustainable Cameroon – and inspiring girls across Africa to do the same. If she wins the Global Student Prize, Ntyam wants to develop GPS-powered wearable devices to expand Motuwa access for users without smartphones, aiming to support over 65,000 people in her region who have expressed interest in Motuwa but currently lack the financial means to access it. This innovation would significantly enhance Motuwa’s impact, providing a safer transportation experience for thousands of Cameroonians. She would also further invest in BIOREX, using funds to purchase trucks, dustbins, land for dumping, grinding machines, and processing machinery. This would not only reduce environmental degradation, but also promote sustainable practices in the community.