Global Minimum Inc. (GMin) & Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) are teaming up to fuel the 'meaningful maker' movement among African youth. This project inspires youth to create innovative environmental solutions within their local communities in Sierra Leone, Kenya and South Africa. Examples include smoke-free charcoal briquettes made out of agricultural waste, a paraffin pressure cooker, and a trash collecting system. GMin's goal is to act as a platform to generate global youth change-makers.
Today, in many countries, the creativity and agency of the youth are stifled. The voice of young people is ignored and the young generations miss the opportunity to test their ideas for improving their societies. Furthermore, they do not see themselves as an integral part of the solutions to the problems that face their communities. As a result, this culture of learned helplessness cuts the countries off from generations of good ideas and stunts the growth of creativity in talented young people.
The project will enable young people to go through rapid prototyping and trial & error, allowing students to think, produce, and deliver innovative home-grown environmental solutions derived from local materials and real needs. Through hands-on and inquiry-based learning, students are challenged to think critically by observing a problem, applying a relatable concept, and actively creating solutions for environmental issues they've identified.
The project serves as a platform to ignite creative thinking, nurture invention, and encourage meaningful making among Africa's youth, fostering a new generation with innovative mindsets and a sense of self-efficacy. By investing in Africa's youth, GMin is supporting a generational transformation where young people will begin to see themselves as active problem solvers, dedicated innovators, and doers who are creating environmental solutions in some of the poorest communities in the world.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
