Solomon Odong’o Maxwell
Solomon Odong’o Maxwell built his first company in his second year of high school in Uganda. His company, which created a liquid soap product, won the national Company of the Year competition and qualified for the JA Africa regional finals. Through JA, he also saw how a bank worked and, shortly after, saw his first computer and fell in love with the possibilities that coding and design could offer. JA not only gave him real-world experience, but also radically improved his academic work. “JA was the best part of high school,” he says.
By the time he entered college, Solomon was designing and developing websites, including the site for his high school, so majoring in IT felt familiar. One day, he realized that students had two realities in their lives that could work together: most rode bikes to school, and most were unable to find outlets to charge their phones.
““Surround yourself with other passionate people. Create a vibrant movement.””
The idea for Emali Creation was born: a mobile phone-charge device designed for bicycles. After securing a small grant to develop a prototype, Solomon was able to launch the company, which he ran throughout the rest of his college career. He also got involved in Model UN and other UN youth activities, and then took on the roll of local director for the Hult Prize, often called “the Nobel Prize for students.” Both endeavors created a close connection to youth issues. Before long, Solomon was given the responsibility of becoming the country director for AIESEC, which works with UN Uganda to develop leadership talent in the country.
And although he still runs Emali, which literally gives life to Ugandan youth’s primary mode of communication, his current passion is 1MillionYouthAfrica, an initiative to teach one million young Africans how to turn dreams into reality.
““Wherever you are, start! Ideas are good, but they have to be pushed into action. Business plans are great, too, but no one can predict what will happen in the future.””