Young engineers win prizes for solving real problems in South Africa
What happened?
A group of 55 schoolchildren from poor communities in Johannesburg took part in a five-day hackathon. They learned coding, engineering, and how to think like designers. Then they built machines and systems to help their communities.
Winners and their inventions
The competition was called the Young Engineers Movement Hackathon. Here are the winners:
- First place (high school): Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation created Bio Spark. It turns waste into electricity to help with power cuts and pollution.
- Second place (high school): Mbongeni Secondary School made Aquagrid. It is a solar-powered water system that stores and cleans water when the main supply stops.
- First place (primary school): Ebony Park Primary School built a smart recycling bin that sorts waste and gives pupils points to buy things at school.
- Second place (primary school): Tsakane Extension 22 Mega Primary School created a device to help elderly people take their medicine on time.
- Audience Choice Award: Phumulani Primary School made a system that checks school buildings for damage and warns before accidents happen.
What teachers and organizers said
Teachers were very proud of the students. Many of them had never used coding or robotics before. One teacher said, 'They learned so much in just one day. I am very impressed.' Another teacher said the competition showed that young people have great potential.
Anele Mkungela from the Young Engineers Movement said the best part was seeing the children gain confidence. 'They came in not knowing if they belonged. Now they see themselves as young engineers and problem-solvers.' He said South Africa needs more engineers and technology skills.
The winning teams got laptops, tablets, coding kits, and other equipment to help them keep learning about science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM).
This article was originally published on TimesLIVE.
