The Ghana Office of the United Nations Development Programme (NUDP) in partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded three senior high schools in Ghana, a total of $9,000 through a waste innovation challenge.
The objective was to help the participating schools to implement innovative waste management projects in their schools as the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) draws closer and it was becoming increasingly important to find innovative initiatives and ideas that can help achieve global goals.
Ms Praise Nutakor, Head of Communications and Partnerships, UNDP-Ghana sharing the progress and impacts of the projects in the schools, told the Ghana News Agency that, it had been making a huge difference.
She cited the Methodist Girls’ High School at Mamfe Akuapem in the Eastern Region, one of the beneficiary schools and said the innovative prowess of the girls was bringing a change in the school’s environment.
“With their innovative idea to build an automatic waste sorting bin to make separation of waste easier for recycling, the Methodist Girls Senior High School emerged the third winner”.
The prize money, according to Ms. Nutakor, had been used by the school authorities to purchase accessories such as an inductive proximity sensor, LEDs, battery charge module, and solar panel for the school.
The UNDP also learnt that the support to the school had advanced innovation spirit among the students.
The students are now developing more interest in innovating new things each day and more girls deciding to hop onto the science and innovation space at the tertiary levels.
The students now recycle the segregated waste into artifacts such as flower vases, foot and arm rest, and centerpieces.
Ms. Nutakor indicated that undoubtedly, supporting, and breaking stereotypes among women and girls in science, innovation, and technology, was crucial in achieving sustainable development.
It was, therefore, important to encourage and empower more women and girls to innovate or pursue careers and opportunities in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields which would have positive impacts on society.
Ms. Evelyn Baah Asante Opokuaa, a past student of the school, said science had been perceived to be a daunting subject for many female students due to societal biases.
“Growing up, I saw science related courses and initiatives to be only for men and this mindset killed my interest in taking up a course in the science field,” she said.
However, her story took a dramatic turn when she took a bold step to join the Renewable Energy Club in her Senior High School.
“I noticed a gap in the Renewable Energy Club in my school and I was determined to fill that gap.
As an arts student, I can tell good stories.
So, I joined the club to help them explain their work from a lay man’s perspective.”
Ms Asante Opokuaa said she and the team spent weeks researching and developing a waste segregation concept together and were able to create a working prototype of an automatic waste sorting bin to segregate metal, plastic, and organic waste.
The interest she developed has propelled her to pursue a degree in the social sciences at the University of Ghana.
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