Two youthful Malawian innovators have raised the national flag high after being awarded more than 200 million kwacha for pitching the best climate change adaptation projects at the climate summit currently underway in Egypt.
The innovators – Joyce Sikwese of Green Impact Technologies and Ulaye Mwale of Mpatsa Engineering Company have been awarded 100,000 US dollars each which is over 100 million kwacha.
They were among the twenty winners of the 2022 Africa Youth Innovation (YouthADAPT) Challenge announced during a side event at COP 27.
The African Youth Adaptation Solutions (YouthADAPT) Challenge is an annual competition for youth-led enterprises with the aim of boosting sustainable job creation through support for entrepreneurship and innovation in climate change and resilience across Africa.
Speaking to MIJ online Sikwese expressed optimism that the award will go a long way in uplifting livelihoods of rural small holder farmers which her project is targeting.
‘’This will put a smile on small holders farmers in rural areas, we intend to procure a machine for production of organic fertilizers known as bwenzera nthaka and portable water pumps to the farmers “, Sikwese said.
Besides, Sikwese also urged young people to take an active role in finding solutions to mitigating the effects of climate change.
“As youths we need not to look down on ourselves, we need to take an initiative and come up with solutions to mitigating the effects of climate change” Sikwese said.
She noted that the nation was already facing devastating impacts of climate change such as changing rainfall patterns hence need for collaboration in identifying adaptation and resilience measures.
On his part, Mwale has told MIJ Online that the funds were key to enabling him achieve his goals as young people in Malawi were struggling to source adequate capital to finance their businesses.
He said the funds will be used to advance a project which intends to provide water to rural communities through solar energy.
“We want to install solar systems in rural communities which will be used to produce water which we can sell to the communities who can hardly access water in so doing removing the need for these people to have a capital investments to install such systems” Mwale explained.
He has noted that young people have a vital role to play in identifying and implementing solutions aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change.
“We are at an advantage because we are seeing the climate changing, we need to adapt, young people need to be at the center of this fight”, Mwale said.
Meanwhile, Charles Kajoloweka, Executive Director for Youth and Society, has told MIJ online that the awards were a validation that Malawi was not short of talent and skills.
He, however expressed concern with lack of government’s commitment in developing such skills for the greater benefit of the nation.
“Unfortunately we do not largely recognize, nurture and support such skills, we need to make sure that these innovations are supported locally within our development ecosystem” Kajoloweka said.
He therefore has challenged government to financially support these innovations so that they can be upscale to ensure they make a significant contribution to the social-economic development of the nation.
Also positive of the innovations is Tamani Nkhono an agriculture expert in whose observation said the projects were essential in transforming the agriculture industry through provision of cheap fertilizer and promotion of irrigation farming.
“Encouraging farmers to use organic fertilizer is very crucial at the moment because fertilizer prices have gone up , so this gives farmers an opportunity to buy fertilizer at a cheaper price but improving access of water among rural communities is key to promoting irrigation farming” Nkhono said.
Meanwhile, the African Development Bank – one of the organizers of the competition has through its President Dr .Akinwumi Adesina has stressed the need for young people to be in the forefront of strategies aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change.
Several leaders attending the climate summit in Egypt have also called for concerted efforts in empowering young people to be at the center in finding solutions to the current climate crisis.
Meanwhile, Cop 27 has made history to launch the first ever Youth-led climate forum, Youth and Children Pavilion as means for ensuring that voices of young people are heard in the fight against climate change.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Sameh Shoukry, COP 27 president said: “I depend on your voices , it’s your future that we are supposed to be here to guarantee , it is only through your voices, advocacy and inspiration that we will have the ability to enjoy your right to take full advantage of the earth, the forests and the air and live a long and prosperous future on our beautiful planet, once governments undertake their responsibilities“.
During the event over 1,000 young people from 140 countries presented their key demands that paid specific attention to action for climate empowerment, adaptation, resilience and accessible finance.
The YouthADAPT challenge is jointly organized by the Global Centre on Adaptation, the African Development Bank and Climate Investments Fund.
The 20 Winners of the competition in 2022 were drawn from 13 African countries namely Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Egypt, Namibia, Cameroon, Botswana, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal, Algeria and Cote d’voire.
*This article has been published with support from MESHA/IDRC grant for coverage of COP-27 by African science journalists.
