Help Tanzanian Youth Make Tech to Help Themselves

Designing for Second Life innovation involves creating products, services, or solutions that cater to the needs and interests of individuals who are actively engaged in virtual worlds, particularly the Second Life platform. Earlier this year, we launched one of our projects, which is targeting more than 300 youths from the community to take part in the design and creation of technologies. These technologies will later be upcycled using digital Samsung devices into useful products that will enhance people's lives.

Through this initiative, we have reached 22 young people (10 females and 12 males) who have designed and made three life-changing technologies: the garlic peeler, paper recycling machine, and automatic fire detector.

This group participated in the Creative Capacity Building (CCB) workshop, followed by the Refine workshop, which also included Basic Business Skills (BBS). The BBS aims to equip the participants with the skills and knowledge to define their technology innovations in terms of the business side, such as costing, team formation, price setting, and more.

The teams are working hard to ensure they reach the point where they will incorporate the digital devices. They are excited about this opportunity, and we hope for better outcomes where technologies reach the target users and businesses are created out of these technologies.

                                                          ENERGY STSTEM TRAINING

In partnership with Arusha Science School, we have conducted the Energy System workshop, which is currently taking place. It involves 60 participants (ordinary level graduates) under the program called Africalens. The program aims to equip graduates from underserved families with the skills to make their own energy systems, which can be used for different purposes such as lighting, phone charging, and other domestic uses.

With emphasis on inclusivity, with a balanced representation of male and female participants, we have 2male and 36 females as the initiative to promote gender equality and diversity in STEM fields. By ensuring that both genders have equal access to training and opportunities, we are breaking down barriers and paving the way for a more inclusive future.

We expect to conduct field visits soon after the systems are completed and will have them installed for use at their respective families.