Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]
SHE knocked at various doors hoping her ground-breaking innovation would be accepted and save the country millions in foreign currency but to her disappointment, no one bought into her idea.
It took the highest office in the land to endorse the brilliant innovation to earn her the Innovator of the Year Award.
Miss Kudzai Maphosa (24), a chemical engineering student is set to graduate at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) this November.
She has created a locally produced electrode paste for smelting purposes in the ferrochrome industries, an innovation that directly responds to challenges in the mining sector.
The country’s mining sector imports the electrode paste used in the smelting of metallurgic products. Miss Maphosa of Mahatshula suburb in Bulawayo, said President Mnangagwa’s endorsement of her project has restored her confidence.
“Believe it or not, I presented this idea to a lot of people and it was very hard for them to understand my prototype as they were wondering what I was talking about,” she said.
“It is not a sophisticated innovation, just a block of some sort. When I presented it to different people even at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) and SADC Industrial Week, it was very challenging to get people to understand my prototype,” said Miss Maphosa.
“But when I presented my innovation to the Presidential team, they knew what I was talking about, they liked the idea, and saw the vision and rationale behind it as an import substitution and an important step towards the development of our country.”
She said bagging the Presidential Innovator of the Year Award was a once in a lifetime opportunity as President Mnangagwa congratulated her during the awards ceremony last month.
Following the Presidential Award, a local mining organisation has pledged to work with her and she has even set the goal on mass production.
“Getting the award really meant that they (Presidium) were in agreement with what I was envisioning. It is quite impressive that they believed that it can make an impact on our economy,” said Miss Maphosa.
“As an innovator, I’m encouraged to keep on pushing until we have it on a large scale. It’s not just an idea in the lab but it is a viable idea and that the President believed in the idea means a lot because it shows that we are no longer just doing theory but are being practical, especially with Heritage-Based Education 5.0,” she said.
“I’m excited, it’s not an idea from another girl from Ko-Bulawayo but a youthful innovator who wants to make a difference in the country.”
Miss Maphosa said the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model speaks to using local resources for the development of the country.
During her attachment at one of the large-scale mining companies, she observed how the business was discarding some of its waste and then did research into how to value-add the waste being produced — leading to her coming up with the locally produced electrode paste, as an import substitution.
Commenting on the breakthrough, Nust director of communication and marketing, Mr Thabani Mpofu, said Miss Maphosa’s prototype has passed the laboratory test.
“It focuses on the production of electrode paste, which is imported but our student has come up with an innovation, she has done her research and discovered that electrode paste raw materials being used are actually available in abundance locally,” he said.
“She has come up with a prototype, which is ready for testing by the mines. We have done laboratory tests and we are satisfied with the results that have come out of that prototype,” said Mr Mpofu.
He challenged the mining sector to come on board and embrace Nust’s innovation to be able to upscale and produce these local materials in abundance.
Mr Mpofu said already some players in the sector are making enquiries on the innovation and negotiations are ongoing.
“But we want the mining sector to join us in our innovation hubs, we can set up mining laboratories so that we can come up with solutions affecting the mining industry,” he said.
“We have engaged some mining institutions and they are promising to work with us.”
Mr Mpofu said Miss Maphosa’s innovation was part of a wider spectrum of innovations that students at the university are working on as Heritage Based Education 5.0 is now producing the intended results.
“We want to thank His Excellency for coming up with the Heritage Based Education 5.0 philosophy, which has transformed the education system in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We also want to take note that the Heritage Based Education 5.0 has come a full cycle. This year, we are graduating the first graduates of the Heritage Based Education 5.0,” said Mr Mpofu.
“These are the students who were enrolled at the inception of Education 5.0 and we are seeing a difference in terms of the calibre of graduates. These are students who are not just focused on attaining a degree but are determined to produce innovations that can transform the country.”
He said the impact and fruits of Heritage Based Education 5.0 are already being felt regionally and internationally as Zimbabwean students are bagging international awards.
“Just last week, we had six of our students who competed at the world Enactus World Cup in Khazakstan and they came first in a competition that attracted 33 countries,” said Mr Mpofu.
“We competed with countries including the United Kingdom. It is the first time for that floating trophy to be brought to Africa. It’s an indication of the kind of education that they get in the country, an approval of Heritage Based Education 5.0,” he added.
Mr Mpofu said it was exciting to listen to President Mnangagwa challenging the mining sector to work with institutions of higher learning at the just ended Mining, Engineering and Transport Expo (Mine Entra).
“At the Mine Entra His Excellency re-emphasised the need for the mining industry to work with higher and tertiary institutions, focusing on innovations and technological developments,” he said.
Mr Mpofu said this was encouraging students to come up with innovations that can transform the mining sector. — @nqotshili
Online Reporter