LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-One of the country’s national secondary schools, Likuni Boys Secondary School (LBSS) on Friday, January 20, 2023 showcased Innocent Mandili, a 17 year old form four student’s outstanding innovations to stakeholders at the school in the capital Lilongwe.
Initially Mandili was transferred from Phalombe Secondary Schoool to Likuni Boys while in form three in 2021 after education authorities discovered his innovation skills for better learning environment.
LBSS Headteacher Brother Chilambo told the Maravi Post that Mandili has amazing innovative skills testified both at the school and his home.
Brother Chilambo disclosed that the school thought of exposing Innocent innovations to the world for support and other learners to benefit from the skills.
“Innocent came to Likuni Boy from Phalombe Secondary School after authorities discovered his innovation skills. This follows parents testimonies that Innocent had also developed a lot innovations power supply at his homestead.
“He is a special child to this school, family and the nation that he be supported for nurturing his innovation ideas. This is the reason we thought of holding exhibition session for the world to embrace his talent,” excited Brother Chilambo.
On school performance, Brother Chilambo disclosed that Innocent balances his learning and innovation showcasing ideas, “He is always in the laboratory for his innovation ideas but he balances with other subjects as required”.
Speaking at the exhibition, Mandili commended the school for granting him the opportunity to unveil his inventions and explained that his vision for innovation is to enhance industrialization and technology in the country for development.
“As you have seen most of my innovations address the problems that are on the ground for instance the Thermal El stove is meant for cooking using clean energy and at the same time,
“The energy is being converted to electricity which is solving waste management and electricity problems that we are facing in the country,”
Innocent further highlighted during his demonstrations that there is more to be done on his inventions to fully reach the end user as he makes his machines using locally available materials such as plastic bottles, wood among others.
“I use waste materials such as plastics among others for my innovations which have not been able to perfectly show the results I want, but given the right materials I can make something that is efficient,” said Mandili
He also stated that he dreams of establishing his own industrial company that will see the rise in the production of technologies in the country to alleviate the need for imports in Malawi.
Also present at the event was the Research Manager for National Planning Commission, Dr. Andrew Jamali who after witnessing the demonstration of the innovations, stated that there is hope for the innovation sector in Malawi as more youths are emerging with solution based innovations in the country.
“This is very exciting as you know Malawi Vision 2063 is centered on the youths and we just launched the vision about two years ago and already we see young people like Innocent running with the vision by identifying problems and making innovations like these hence this brings hope to the nation,” said Jamali.
He also emphasised on the importance of supporting young innovators for the development of their innovations and linking them to the private sectors to boost industrialisation in the country.
Echoing on the same, the Director of Science, Technology and Innovations in the Ministry of Education Chomora Mikeka commended teachers at LBSS for mentoring and supporting Mandili with his innovations saying its ministry’s mandate for each school to produce innovation plant for students to learn from.
Meanwhile, MHUB has committed to financially support Mandili with a cumulative amount of one to MK5 million to up scale his innovations.
Innocent is expected to seat for 2023 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) this year.
