The Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) has said it is driving efforts to contribute to the country’s industrial growth through its Community Innovation Programme (CIP).
Now in its second cohort, the initiative is being funded and implemented in collaboration with the Technical, Entrepreneurial, Vocational and Education Training (TEVET) Authority.
The CIP gives innovators a platform to develop novel local solutions that solve local problems. Yesterday, programme coordinators met at the start of a three-day orientation session for 10 innovators at Must campus in Thyolo District.
Through the programme, innovators are linked with mentors who guide them through the process during the six months they are under the programme.
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Furthermore, Must assists innovators through the process of patenting their innovations and commercialising them.
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Lecturer in food science and technology in the Engineering Department Mayeso Kachingwe said in the almost 300 proposals they received for the second cohort, they looked for concepts that would help Malawi realise its 2063 vision goals.
“As we were recruiting them, we were very keen to look at the real issues that can contribute to the Malawi 2063 vision, especially industrialisation pillar number two.
“So, they have the potential to support themselves and contribute to the industrialisation aspect with support from the university and Tevet,” Kachingwe said.
He highlighted the success of the first cohort, noting that several participants, who are set to graduate soon, have already achieved tangible results.
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For instance, innovators in Lilongwe and Mzuzu have established companies that are creating jobs and benefitting their communities.
“We have learned a lot from the previous cohort and, this time around, we are geared to achieve more and more success stories from the cohort,” he said.
One of the second-cohort innovators, Fredrick Ntolanthenga, a specialist teacher from Namiwawa Primary School in Blantyre, has developed a mobile phone application aimed at equipping non-specialist teachers with tools to support students with special needs.
“Mine is an android application that can assist mainstream teachers with little or no knowledge about special needs. I decided to come up with this application mainly because of the shortage of specialist teachers for learners with diverse needs,” Ntolanthenga said.
Other innovations that have been taken on board include a solar-powered electricity generation system designed to provide affordable electricity, even in rural areas, a digital solution that connects farmers directly to buyers while offering real-time price information for their produce.
The other one is a machine that can absorb carbon dioxide to produce graphite and diamond, benefitting the economy and contributing to global warming mitigation efforts.
There is also an innovative flood-resistant house designed to float during floods, thereby preventing destruction.
