The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) and the Malawi University of Science and Technology(Must) have vowed to provide funds and free university education to a 23-year-old renewable energy innovator from Dedza District, Mandela Chilenje.
Chilenje generates solar energy from panels made out of scrap that currenty is used to light seven houses in his area.
In an earlier interview, Chilenje told Malawi News that he was looking for financil support to upgrade his innovation to expand its reach and begin earning a living from the same.
NCST Chief Technology Transfer Officer, Isaac Chingota, said Mandela is one of several innovators that the Commission is considering to support through the Technology Transfer and Small Grants Programme.
”Mandela is developing an innovation that has public benefit and we think that innovation will have a positive impact on the community. We engaged him and we have realised that he needs skills development and the innovation needs technical develipment,” Chingota said.
Chingota added that the Commission’s interest is to see Malawian innovations and technology being commercially explored for the benefit of both the innovators and the nation in relation to aspirations of Malawi 2063.
In a separate interview, Malawi University of Science amd Technology(Must) Research Fellow, Zalerapi Mhango, said the institution is considering offering an opportunity to the innovator to develop his skill at the institution.
”As an education institution, we desire for people with such talents to develop so that they can help develop the Nation and people’s lives,” Mhango said.
Source: The Daily Times_November 23, 2021_By Imam Wali