KAUNGA MAULID
EMPOWERING and investing in young people through creativity and innovation is the fundamental initiative for the development of any nation in the world.
Many developing countries in Africa are currently focused on promoting creativity and helping their young people to achieve useful research within their countries.
Recently, Tanzania witnessed the Young Scientist Tanzania (YST) entering into collaboration with the nongovernmental organisation of Karimjee Jivanjee Foundation (KJF) which has been at the forefront of helping young people to conduct scientific research which is of great benefit to the country.
These two institutions have been greatly helping secondary school students from all regions in the country by promoting their scientific projects where this year they have been able to support 380 scientific projects.
The two institutions’ joint ventures have been organising various exhibitions of scientific projects where students who emerge as overall winners will be given a scholarship for higher education to develop and help them to fulfil the goals of their projects.
There are scientific studies that have been done by young scientists such as the production of alternative charcoal using clay soil with crushed charcoal, nutritional therapy for stunted chickens, and mosquito repellent made using lemongrass.
On top of that, one of the scientific projects that have influenced many people and have been productive to society is a development of a device that can detect fire when it occurs in the house, a device that can turn off lights even when a person is at work, and the discovery of teaching mathematics using music.
Speaking ahead of the forthcoming young scientist students’ national exhibitions held in Dar es Salaam recently, the Co-founder of YST Dr Gozibert Kamugisha said more than 300 science projects will provide practical solutions to the current developmental challenges that are facing society today.
Dr Kamugisha also said that apart from promoting them they still need help from various organisations and institutions that are involved in scientific works, to cooperate in helping those children who are the workforce of the next generation because the world is far away from technology.
“So if we help these young people early, we will have helped the next generation to a large extent to match the technology on that time that will bring more development for the country in general through scientific studies,” said Dr Kamugisha.
According to him, approximately 300 works discovered this year were showcased during the exhibitions and the overall winner of the works has received scholarships for university education and various awards.
He also said the innovations are focused mostly on agricultural issues as well as better ways of keeping agricultural produce, environmental care and sustainable use of water resources at Ruvu River, and access to and better use of electricity.
Dr Kamugisha also said that every year the number of students involved in scientific discoveries has been increasing whereby this year YST has received 1,143 applications for funding, noting that until the end of the year 530 projects are being monitored and only 380 projects are fully developed.
This is where I remember the idiom of my elders that said the poor are poor but give them their rights, how lucky are the 13-year-old girls who are in form three students at Kibaha Girls’ Secondary school to design a water pump station in the River Ruvu which has been relied on by more than 10 million of people from three regions including Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and the Coast region.
These girls decided to design the device for the future of River Ruvu which will help a lot in promoting the production of various products in all industries that depend on the existence of the river.
Speaking after emerging as overall winners in the exhibition, Ms Halima Saidi and Gloria Beatus said that it is a great fortune for them to be the winners because they believe that the victory will make it easier for them to fulfil the goals of helping the community in solving the water problem in the river Ruvu.
“We have decided to do this project because where we come from, there has been a big challenge of water management in the river Ruvu from time to time, so this project will help solve that challenge,” she said.
Also, they thanked YST for helping them in completing their research. Apart from that also the Vice Chancellor of Ardhi University, Prof Evaristo Liwa, urged all young scientists in the country to conduct scientific researches that will benefit the nation.
“On behalf of the government, I congratulate all young scientists who have been able to use their scientific ideas which are very helpful to solve various challenges in our society. I ask them to conduct scientific researches that would benefit our nation,” said Prof Liwa.
Prof Liwa said the government will continue to help young scientists to fulfil their goals and become useful in finding solutions for challenges facing society.
Prof Liwa also thanked sponsors who saw the importance of empowering young people in doing various research.
On her side, Karimjee Jivanjee Foundation (KJF) Executive Director Ms Caren Rowland said this year her organisation expects to sponsor four students thus making a total of 41 students who have been sponsored in higher education studies.
Ms Rowland said that the exhibition is important for students because it will open doors for them to develop their work and achieve their goals.
“I congratulate YST for giving opportunities to young people from different regions in the country to showcase their creativity, discovery, research and their scientific talents,” said Ms Caren.
Also, Ms Caren said it is about 12 years now that KJF has been a supporter of the YST institution since it was registered in 2012 to develop the youth of the next generation in our country who can do various discoveries and research. The KJF is the primary vehicle for the Karimjee family’s charitable work.
The mission of the Foundation is to invest in education as a means to enhance the economic development of Tanzania.
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