Ching Love J. Gemino, who recently completed Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education Program in DMMMSU – South La Union Campus (SLUC), earned a spot in the Top 10 teams of the prestigious Impact SEA Challenge, a regional competition that gathers innovative youth-led solutions across Southeast Asia.
Gemino is part of Team 44, one of the finalist teams selected from over 250 changemakers across the ASEAN region. The team advanced to the final round of the competition, where they pitched their project, “IgnitEd: Born to Learn, Built to Ignite!” on May 31, 2025.
As presented at the event, IgnitEd is a mobile educational platform designed to ensure inclusive and equitable access for children in rural and underserved communities. The app leverages offline functionality to operate seamlessly in low-connectivity environments, is optimized for low-spec devices, and delivers interactive content in Local Language, English, Math, and Science. Additionally, it integrates parental and educator engagement features, facilitating usability for users with limited digital literacy.
Joining Gemino in Team 44 are Emmanuel Fabella (Rizal Technological University), Grace Christy (Universitas Indonesia), Mohamed Nazri Bin Prem Nasir (University of Malaya), and Rafi Ashza Sejati (Universitas Jenderal Soedirman). This diverse team combines expertise in education, technology, communication, law, and public health, bringing a multidisciplinary approach to their collaboration.
The Top 10 teams were chosen after weeks of collaborative development, mentorship, and rigorous evaluation by a panel of regional experts. The innovations tackle critical challenges, including inclusive EdTech, circular economy initiatives, digital inclusion, financial literacy, and grassroots empowerment
Impact SEA is a regional leadership program supported by the U.S. Department of State, YSEALI Academy, and Fulbright University Vietnam. It brings together emerging leaders from Southeast Asia to tackle key regional challenges through collaboration, policymaking, and community innovation. (By Jesus Rafael B. Jarata)
