Deadline Date: December 14, 2025
The Innovation Challenge in Lesotho presents a unique opportunity to promote inclusive digital access, cultural preservation, and sustainable AI development.
Central to the initiative is the deployment of Sesotho-first language AI solutions, including machine translation, speech recognition, text-to-speech, and secure conversational agents. These tools will be applied across critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, law, energy, climate change, finance, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and access to public services. By embedding these AI solutions into essential workflows, the program aims to improve service delivery, safety, compliance, and productivity for non-English speakers nationwide, with a focus on mainstreaming disability inclusion wherever applicable.
The program runs for a duration of 45 days, with funding of up to US$5,000 available per project. Eligible applicants must demonstrate the capacity to implement their proposed projects, including sufficient financial, material, human, and other resources. Projects should have potential for financial, social, and environmental sustainability and be scalable or replicable.
The challenge also seeks to catalyse innovation for cultural and linguistic preservation. Participants are encouraged to design AI solutions that integrate Sesotho into emerging technologies, including automated legal translation systems, AI-powered learning platforms, and conversational agents. These innovations will bridge the digital divide while ensuring that Sesotho remains a living, relevant, and vibrant language in both national and global digital ecosystems.
In addition to accessibility and preservation, the hackathon aims to build sustainable ecosystems for AI and digital transformation. By fostering collaboration among technologists, policymakers, and development partners, the initiative aligns with Lesotho’s National Digital Transformation Strategy and the UNDP AI Sprint Initiative. The goal is to stimulate the growth of an inclusive AI ecosystem that supports long-term socio-economic development.
All projects must be inclusive, benefiting the target communities and contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Women and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Projects promoting tobacco, alcohol, drugs, firearms, or other dangerous substances are not eligible. This initiative provides innovators with the opportunity to develop impactful AI solutions that advance digital inclusion, preserve cultural heritage, and strengthen Lesotho’s AI ecosystem.
For more information, visit UNDP.
