‘Science key to unlocking economic development’
Harnessing science and innovation amongst the youth holds the key to unlocking economic development challenges that Malawi faces, Programme Manager at Malawi’s first technology and innovation incubator, mHub, Eve Kasambara has said.
Kasambara was speaking in Lilongwe at the start of a week-long Africa Science Week series that mHub and other science stakeholders are hosting under the Next Einstein Forum (NEF), an initiative being championed by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS).
Malawi is the first to host the 13-country Africa Science Week se r i e s .
“The week presents an opportunity to harness inquisitive science minds and help them develop into scientific leaders for tomorrow,” Kasambara said.
She said the fact that Malawi has been chosen to lead the Africa Science Week highlights the confidence that stakeholders have in the potential of the country and its youth to apply science and technology in ushering economic development.
“As their scientific minds mature, the youth will be challenged to apply and validate their ideas in the community. The best science and technology is the one that responds to local challenges such as youth unemployment, health care, agriculture, and energy, all which are manifest in Malawi,” she said.
The science week took off with a Creative Design Workshop aimed to train students in idea generation and prototyping of scientific projects. It has attracted students from Bwaila, Mkwichi and Likuni Boys Secondary and youth from the nearby community of Mtandire.
Other activities during the week include tech discovery for kids interested in developing games using scratch and coding mobile apps, hardware programming and digital media skills for women. The events will culminate into a Science Expo where over 20 interactive science and technology projects will be exhibited to local business, corporations and community.
AIMS President and NEF Chair Thierry Zomahoun said the week-long event will demonstrate the critical impact of science to the general public.
