ExxonMobil is seeking to train young Mozambicans to meet the demands of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Innovation Camp programme is bringing students closer to these disciplines, encouraging them to turn knowledge into solutions for real-world problems.
The third edition of the Innovation Camp, launched mid-year, brought together students from secondary schools in Maputo, Albazine, Marracuene and Matola to compete for a place representing Mozambique at African Energy Week, taking place in October in Cape Town, South Africa. The Escola Comunitária Nossa Senhora do Livramento, from Matola, emerged as the winner with its project 'Polymeric Reuse' — an initiative to transform plastic waste into paving material.
The entrepreneurship-focused initiative centred on STEM disciplines has been implemented by Osuwela — meaning 'knowledge' in Macua — a non-governmental organisation dedicated to science education. Osuwela operates in partnership with Junior Achievement Africa, one of the world's largest NGOs focused on youth economic empowerment, with joint funding provided by the ExxonMobil Foundation. The programme has been running since 2024 and consists of a 12-week course in which thousands of students tackle challenges set via the internet.
Soraia Amaro, executive director of Osuwela, said the true measure of the programme's success is not the number of prototypes produced. 'The most important thing is how students begin to look at problems. They learn to identify challenges, work in teams, test solutions, and understand that science and technology can improve lives,' she said.
Despite the enthusiasm shown by students, structural problems persist that constrain education — particularly in the sciences — across Mozambique.
From Theory to Innovation
The programme's impact is reflected in the testimonies of former participants. Manuel Júnior, from the Escola Comunitária Sagrada Família in Marracuene, won the 2024 edition with a project to generate electricity from waste, addressing what he described as a challenge 'linked to energy access and environmental management.' The project subsequently placed third at African Energy Week. Manuel continued his studies and is now enrolled in the Civil Engineering degree programme at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), noting that the Innovation Camp directly influenced his career choice.
For teacher Amilton Troveja, a mentor on the initiative at the Escola Comunitária Sagrada Família, the principal constraint is the lack of laboratories and equipment for practical activities. 'Teaching remains heavily grounded in theory. We need laboratories and materials that allow students to experiment, test, and develop solutions,' he said. Even so, he emphasised that the limitations have not prevented the emergence of relevant projects.
The winning team will represent Mozambique at African Energy Week, taking place in October in Cape Town, South Africa.
Inclusion as a Competitive Factor
A further outcome observed across the three editions of the programme is the growing participation of women in STEM fields. Without providing specific figures, Soraia Amaro explained that male participation was dominant at the outset. For the current edition, however, the Innovation Camp has actively sought to form more gender-balanced teams. She described this shift as an important step toward increasing diversity in the future technology and science workforce.
For ExxonMobil, the project represents a long-term investment in building capabilities that will be critical to strategic sectors of the economy. Mariana Shaik, ExxonMobil's community investment adviser in Mozambique, explained that the objective is to establish a strong pipeline of future engineers, scientists, and professionals able to meet the needs of a constantly evolving market. 'The first step is to spark young people's interest in STEM. After that, we want to follow them through to higher education and see them build careers that contribute to the country's development,' she said.
Although the projects presented during the Innovation Camp do not yet have funding for implementation, Shaik acknowledged that the organisation is exploring mechanisms to support, in the future, the development of ideas with the greatest potential for impact.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=543335
