tawandamusarurwa
Tanatswa Mbizvo
OSIRUMIJI Ihude is a 17-year-old Zimbabwean scientist and inventor based in Harare.
Despite his young age, Ihude has already made remarkable achievements that are helping to solve some of the world’s challenges.
He has a passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which has seen him develop multiple innovations, some of which have won accolades locally and abroad.
From a young age, Ihude was always curious about the world around him and strove to understand as much as he could about it.
This led to a culture of learning and tinkering, which has proved valuable for him to this day.
He has scored top marks throughout his schooling. He emerged as one of the top-performing learners at Chegutu Primary School before moving to Seke 2 High School in Chitungwiza.
He won a scholarship to pursue his Advanced Level studies with the prestigious United Student Achievers Programme.
Outside the classroom, Ihude serves as the president of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) Zimbabwe Juniors, which is part of the world’s largest student-run space advocacy group.
The club has been serving as a safe space for many young planetary enthusiasts.
SEDS Zimbabwe has become well known in astronomy circles for its space-related activities like space talks and other programmes such as its famous launch of a high-altitude balloon into the stratosphere back in 2020.
Besides space exploration, Ihude is a passionate climate activist.
He was appointed the youth climate ambassador by Elevate Trust in 2022, and spoke about climate change and how it affects upcoming generations on ZiFM.
He is also a skilled chess player, public speaker, robotics enthusiast and software developer, having taught himself how to code at the age of 15.
“I have drawn my motivation and inspiration from many different places, but the fact that I can solve problems around me through science and technology, which also happens to be my passion, has driven me the most,” he said when asked about his motivation.
One of his most notable research projects is the “Cardio Go”, a device he developed with his research partner Tatenda Mazambani. The device detects hypertension in patients and helps to lower it without the use of drugs.
Hypertension is one of the leading causes of death in the world, according to the World Health Organisation, with one in every six people suffering from it.
His other recent project was his research on the construction and modelling of an electrohydrodynamic propulsion system for aircraft.
He continues to work on different research projects whenever he can and hopes to be able to impact many other people around the world.
Ihude has won numerous accolades for his achievements, including the Leaders of Our Future Ambassadorship Award and the Ultra-Med Healthcare Award at the 2022 Africa Science Buskers Festival.
He is also a two-time finalist at the Zimbabwe Science Fair and a student researcher at the New York Academy of Sciences, The Mars Generation Student Space Ambassador and former councillor with the Chitungwiza Municipality Junior Council.
Ihude is indeed an inspiration and role model for the youth around the world.
We thank him for his remarkable work in making the world a better place for all, and his efforts in pushing the boundaries of innovation.
If you would like to learn more about him and his work, you can visit his website at www.osirumiji.earth.
Tanatswa Mbizvo is a Form Three learner at Queen Elizabeth School
Online Reporter