The Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism has congratulated five learners from Thengwe Secondary school, outside Thohoyandou, on their recent achievement.
The learners, who are in different grades, will be jetting off to Manila in the Philippines in August to represent the country in an international competition. They will be showcasing their scientific and green economy project in the Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE). They have created a gas stove powered by cow dung.
Thendo Modau, Enelo Maringa, Masana Mabasa, Olugaho Mateka and Livhuwani Mudau are still basking in their limelight. Their innovation has earned them a spot to compete with other budding entrepreneurs from all over the world.
Aptly named "the Green Stove" because it is powered by cow dung, the creation can be used in rural households without electricity. In line with the entrepreneurship competition, the learners have named their project "Alchemy Social Enterprise" and they each hold a managerial position. Enelo Maringa says she is excited to be part of the winning team.
"We never thought that using cow dung would result in us travelling to places like the Philippines. So this project is really amazing, and I'm grateful for our project manager who came up with this idea. I can say science is very fun because what you see is what you get. I'm mixing it with business, which means I get more benefit from the science that I did," says Maringa.
Thendo Modau says what makes their project unique is that they have created an environmentally friendly product to solve the electricity challenge in their communities, by using a simple commodity.
"What interests me about this is that I'm using cow dung that was useless and valueless into producing something that will help my community. I believe that we are going to win because we are bringing something unique. Obviously some people are going to think of expensive things, so we are going back to our roots and solving a problem that we face," says Modau.
Head of the Economic Development Department in Limpopo, Solly Kgopong, says they are fully behind the learners. "We are very proud. We strongly encourage entrepreneurship amongst the people of the province and these young people are the embodiment of that, that culture and that future. So we will be continuing to support them because they are still at school and this is talent that we don't want to abandon. We will make sure that we monitor them through school and on their journey towards becoming successful entrepreneurs in the future," says Kgopong.
The learners say they want to be counted amongst great minds who have contributed in making the world a better place. Limpopo has been representing the country in the international competition since 2013. Thengwe follows in the footsteps of Risinga and Dendron high schools.