Young Innovators show case their products
BY MONICAH MWANGI
For the first time in the history of the country, a youth talent development conference was held in Nairobi last week. The three day conference saw talented youths , some of them student, exhibit their products for the world to see at Nairobi School.
Among the exhibitors was Stadi Za Maisha Educational Trust (SZMET), a charitable trust and non-profit making organization whose tent attracted a crowd. In the middle of it was Edward Birgen who is busy connecting some wires for an electronic car-tracking device he invented.
20 year old Birgen has mounted simple wires to a worn-out radio casing, which has been fixed with nine gear wheels, three motors and a mobile handset to come up with the device which he says can be used to switch off the car wherever it is.
“Whenever a stolen car is driven at a certain speed,
the gadget sends blank message to the phone, informing the owner to call back to switch off the car, making the thieves to abandon it,” he says.
Since the young man has no car, he uses the gadget as his door sensor and security lights whenever he is away as well as switch on and off his radio.
Birgen, who sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at Sambut High School in Uasin Gishu in 2010 did not perform well but he had an interest in physics subject.
“I scored a mean grade of D+ but i knew i could do something out of my interest in electronics,” he says. Birgen’s best topic in physics was Photo Emissive Cells and Study of Transistors in form four and which he thanks for what he has done so far.
Birgen who is currently under the Stadi Za Maisha program hopes to advance more on the device, make many more of them and make a living from his innovation. “I want this to be my business where i will help stop car-jacking as i make money,” said a confident Birgen.
Birgen who has been a radio repairer believes he has what it takes to transform the device in a way that it can be able to track a stolen car,switch it off and lock in the occupants. To complete the device, Birgen dug into his pocket Sh3,000 and used his personal mobile phone.
Edward Mukua,
the program Director for Stadi Za Maisha says if Kenya want to achieve the Vision 2030 goals, innovative talents need to be looked out and appreciated. “We need creative minds like that of Birgen to get to where we want to be and get rid of poor quality ‘Chinese products’ which have overcrowded our markets,” Mukua said.
Another innovator in the tent is Paul Kihuha, a class eight dropout and a reformed drug addict. “I smoked bhang and even had a taste of cocaine for 4 years but thanks to my christian parents who put some sense in me to get me out of drugs,” Paul remembers.
After rehabilitation, Paul spent days locked in the house and it was at that time when he was trying to find himself that the idea of innovation hit him. “I made a smoking robot and i realized i was sleeping on a big talent,” he says.
A determined and courageous Paul walked out into the sober world with one thing in mind, proving his abilities. “I knew i could do much more even without much finances,” he says. He started looking for old metals and within 4 short days, Paul had managed to put so much together and he came up with a video camera crane which he had for the exhibition.
Paul has since made 3 more cranes which he hires out to individuals or organizations shooting movies or music videos. “I charge Sh3,000 to hire out a crane for 24 hours with an addition of Sh1,500 if i am to be there to operate it,” he tips.
He also prides of another innovation he calls shoulder cam, “this is a camera stand which can be worn and one moves around with it,” he explains as he puts it on. Though he says he made it for own purpose, the 24 year old believes there is some market for the same.
Paul, who doubles up as a musician is currently working under Stadi Za Maisha to up his game.
Mokua says theirs is to look out for gifted and talented youths to nurture and encourage them to utilize their capabilities. “Our primary strategic goal is in line with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All Goals (EFA). Stadi za Maisha Educational Trust advocates and enhances positive change on behavior practices and attitudes and creates awareness on social and health care issues, as we nurture and grow talents,” Mokua said.
He however points out that Kenya lacks measures and procedures for identifying gifted and talented children. “Many gifted and talented persons may have been wasted in our systems and this translates to immense loss for our economy,” he says.
Stadi za Maisha Educational Trust which is run by trustees and religious partners has been working in collaboration with other stakeholders in an effort to develop identification tools, instruction materials and relevant education and training programs for Kenyan children and youth. “We have partnered with the Ministry of Education, KU, KIE,Kise, and JKUAT in helping our youths develop their talents,” Mokua concluded.
The effectiveness of Stadi Za Maisha’s programs encompasses six concepts among them identification and screening, assessment and categorization, mentorship and placement. “We do all this by awareness through the DO’s office in a certain area,” Mokua points out. Upon identification, gifted and talented learners are offered special services to help them maximize their potential.
The program has been in Nairobi and parts of Mombasa but plan to move to all parts of the country is in the pipeline.
Monicahm photography 
THE BEST FOR YOUNG GENERATION THAT IS idling and killing for a living.bravo.