[STUDENT INNOVATOR PHOTO]
DREAM 1.0
Mount Kenya University
[PROJECT 1]
[INNOVATOR NAMES]
- Healthcare challenge
- Challenge: [HEALTHCARE CHALLENGE]
- Solution summary
- Solution: [PROJECT DESCRIPTION]
DREAM 2.0 · Applications opening soon
Innovating
Healthcare.
DREAM is a healthcare innovation and excellence programme empowering students to identify real healthcare challenges, develop bold solutions, and turn ideas into meaningful impact.
01Healthcare problemSeen every day
02Student innovatorsQuestion & explore
03Design & technologyBuild & validate
04Healthcare impactMeaningful change
What is DREAM?
Where healthcare problems meet bold ideas.
DREAM — the Dafra Reality And Excellence Award Model — creates a platform for students to explore healthcare challenges, develop innovative solutions, receive mentorship, and gain recognition for their work.
Young people see healthcare problems every day. DREAM gives them the space to question, explore, design, build and innovate — and connects their ideas with people, expertise and opportunity.
Read the DREAM storyDREAM 1.0 in numbers
A pilot that proved the idea.
- Applicants
- 20
- Awardees
- 19
- Finalists
- 7
- Top recognition stage
- 5
DREAM 2.0
Growing across four universities.
- Universities
- 4
- Participants
- [NUMBER]
- Projects
- [NUMBER]
The DREAM journey
From Problem to Impact
Every DREAM innovation follows the same path: start with people and a real problem, end with something that matters.
- 01
Identify
Understand a real healthcare problem.
- 02
Explore
Research the problem and understand the people affected.
- 03
Design
Use human-centred design and design-thinking approaches.
- 04
Build
Develop and refine a potential solution.
- 05
Validate
Test assumptions and gather feedback.
- 06
Impact
Present, scale, and create meaningful change.
What makes DREAM different
Not just an award. A culture of healthcare innovation.
Healthcare
Solutions are grounded in real healthcare challenges.
Innovation
Students are encouraged to challenge conventional approaches.
Design Thinking
Understand problems from the perspective of the people experiencing them.
Data Science
An introduction to data-driven approaches to healthcare problem-solving.
Intellectual Property
The fundamentals of protecting and developing ideas.
Mentorship
Connect with experienced professionals.
Recognition
Celebrate promising ideas, innovators and impact.
Now: DREAM 2.0
DREAM 2.0
Innovating Healthcare
Born as a pilot at Mount Kenya University, DREAM is expanding into a multi-university programme — bringing design thinking, intellectual property, data science and mentorship to student innovators across Kenya.
Participating universities
- Pilot · DREAM 1.0
Mount Kenya University
MKU
- Joined DREAM 2.0
University of Nairobi
UON
- Joined DREAM 2.0
Kenyatta University
KU
- Joined DREAM 2.0
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
JKUAT
Featured innovators
Ideas from the DREAM community.
- [STUDENT INNOVATOR PHOTO]DREAM 1.0
Mount Kenya University
[PROJECT 2]
[INNOVATOR NAMES]
- Healthcare challenge
- Challenge: [HEALTHCARE CHALLENGE]
- Solution summary
- Solution: [PROJECT DESCRIPTION]
- [STUDENT INNOVATOR PHOTO]DREAM 1.0
Mount Kenya University
[PROJECT 3]
[INNOVATOR NAMES]
- Healthcare challenge
- Challenge: [HEALTHCARE CHALLENGE]
- Solution summary
- Solution: [PROJECT DESCRIPTION]
[DREAM EVENT PHOTO]
[MENTORSHIP PHOTO]
[PITCH PHOTO]
Where it started
DREAM 1.0: twenty applicants, one belief.
DREAM 1.0 was piloted at Mount Kenya University. It showed that when students get the right platform, mentorship, exposure and recognition, they can identify meaningful healthcare problems — and develop innovative ways to solve them.
20 applicants. 19 awardees. 7 finalists. A final top-5 recognition stage. DREAM 2.0 builds on that foundation.
Explore the DREAM 1.0 archivePartner ecosystem
Healthcare innovation is a team sport.
Universities, healthcare organisations, industry and mentors working together so student ideas can grow.
- [PARTNER LOGO]
- [PARTNER LOGO]
- [PARTNER LOGO]
- [PARTNER LOGO]
- [PARTNER LOGO]
- [PARTNER LOGO]
Partner logos appear here once partnerships are confirmed. See partnership categories
From problems to possibilities
Connect. Build. Innovate.
Whether you're a student with an idea, a professional with expertise, or an organisation that believes in young talent, there's a place for you in DREAM.