A Toyota smart car concept that ensures children go to school smart by plaiting, giving haircuts, and new school uniforms have seen fifteen-year-old Alex Mong’are from the Mukuru Art Collective awarded as the winner of the 12 years to 15 years category of the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest.
At the 14th edition of the art contest organized by Toyota Kenya, Mong’are also took home Ksh50,000 while Mukuru Arts Collective received 500,000 shillings for educational purposes.
Joining Mong’are as winners in their categories were Priyanka Shah in the Under 8 years category Toyota Magical Car that changes its shape through the entire journey around the world and works on voice command collecting water in pod wheels full of flowers, and Diyan Shah in the 8 years to 11 years, with his Toyota Twin Car that can be used as one big family car or two separate cars.
It attaches and detaches using magnetic force and has special roller wheels that absorb bad gas. Both Priyanka and Diyan who are from Premier Academy also took home Ksh50,000 each while the school received Ksh500,000 for educational purposes.
Toyota Kenya Managing Director Arvinder Reel said this year’s artworks demonstrated Kenyan children’s creativity and their great ideas of improving the lives of individuals in society through automobiles.
“This year’s competition was themed around the challenges and opportunities brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. It was interesting to receive entries that captured the theme from a mobility perspective. For instance, one of the entrants designed a vehicle in a shape of a mask that would offer a safe Covid free holiday. It is wonderful to note that important health information such as the prevention of the spread of Covid-19 is trickling to our young ones.”
Speaking after being recognized as the winner in his category, Mong’are said, “I have been learning design at school and it’s in line with what I would want to be in the future, an architect. With this prize money, I help in opening a business for my family’s sustainability and also have some to pay school fees for my siblings and myself.”
The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest is a global competition held to encourage and inspire creativity in children as they imagine the future of mobility. Toyota Kenya invited children from across the country to share ideas about the future of mobility by drawing their dream car under the three categories.
