Its beyond 2100Hrs on
Wednesday 6th of June 2012 and I am preparing myself to set
exams-I know that will be the next deliverable to my school as part of the
semester schedule; I get a call from Mr. Sarisar. He starts like “ are you very
busy…” and I reply “very busy but I have come up with a new concept
called woreisure(work and leisure)-meaning..I plan to live with work and leisure
as if the two were brother and sisters and I was their big brother; and so I
continue chatting with Sarisar… “it depends with what you want me to do. Will
it be more of the routine stuff or something new that will give me a break”.. I
ask
“There is a science congress in Nakuru and I want you to
represent Kimathi”, says Sarisa, “it has already started and therefore..” you want
me to leave right now to Naks..I interrupt.
No! No! No! Says Sarisar…. “Can you make it to go tomorrow (Thursday
7/6/12)”, he asks. “Yes”, i reply; “but I need to finish of the tasks I had set to do in the morning…but who will foot
the bill and what will I be going there to do?” I ask , “Do not worry about finances, fill an imprest. About
the purpose, you also know it since it is a science congress but I will tell you
more tomorrow. The rest, we will sought it out when we come back”, Sarisa
replies. Kwani where are you? I ask…..
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| Nakuru High School- National Science Congress 8/6/12 |
Anyway, to cut the long story short, I am in Nakuru Boys
High School for the annual National Science Congress Exhibition and Competition
and I am elated by what the student at this level of the 8-4-4 system are doing,
save for the fact that most projects are modified versions (read improvements/localized
versions) of existing technology. But let me take you back to the beginning coz
I have started with a conclusion…never mind, it’s not a research paper.
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| Some of the schools in attendance |
I walk into Nakuru Boys High school and I immediately ask
for direction from a student who I later learn we share a name-Lawrence (my
Confirmation name). I walk into the exhibition halls and grounds. In the halls-
I find chemistry, biology and physics projects but the focus is so much on the
judges and not on people like me whose interest –at least to most of the audience
is unclear. One chap in every hall I enter happens to surrender his sit to me,
especially after they read the logo on my t-shirt. I later learnt KUCT was the
only university represented in this event and I hope other universities do not
spoil the party for me tomorrow.
I quickly remind myself what I came here to do…just in case anyone
within the High school inquires. I tell myself..you came here because the
university you represent is a technology university and whatever is taking
place here is technology ( a combination of technique and knowledge). So that
KUCT can get fast hand information on what is happening at our secondary
schools w.r.t technology. I came here to tell the secondary school students
what else they could do if they came to KUCT. I came to tell them that if they
join KUCT they can use our ultra modern facilities in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering , Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
Telecommunication and Information engineering (I wish I had carried a few brochures),Computer
Science and Information technology, to fabricate and automate their innovations
with ease. They can also access specialized services from Research and
extension department- I choose not to use RTMCL because I feel it will leave
them with a blank space or make them raise unnecessary questions and I therefore
baptize it Research and Extension department-which will guide them on how to go
about patenting their work , connect them with researchers and innovators in
the same field, connect them to NCS&T( by the way, these young fellows know
about it; Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak must be doing a good Job, at least in
creating awareness). I will also tell them the research and extension
department may actually fund them.
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| A student in a mechanical Engineering workshop at KUCT |
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| Th eResource Centre in KUCT |
What more.. they will get direct access to experts
(professors, doctors and lecturers) who will guide them towards archiving their
dream.
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| A computer Lab in KUCT |
Over now to the first project.… A physics presentation by
Koloni David of Bishop Philip Anyolo school in Bungoma county. The project is
entitled Hygienic Fish Drier which attracts me coz fish farming has just
started taking root in Kenyan highlands and that is where we (KUCT with a whole
department charged with the responsibility of community linkages) are placed by
the Kenyan topography. The drier is solar based and uses sodium bicarbonate
(CHNaO3- If my memory serves
me well, the commercial name for this chemical is Baking Powder) to
ensure the fish dries without the foul smell. Foul smell is one
of the reasons behind which folks in the highlands do not find fish
enticing the
other one been the many small bones that pose a health risk to the
consumer….But
the judges are too busy with them and I leave their exhibition for the
other
projects.
On my out I see a familiar face..I extend greetings and
they are well received. I proceed to introduce myself ask the lady where we met and she has a quick
reply—"at Red Court Hotel in South C Nairobi. That was during the training we at
KIPI had organized for you. We had trainers from WIPO bra bra…..". "How is this
place?"..I ask the not so young lady. "If you want to see real innovations go to
the Technical and Applied science exhibition", she replies. “where are they?”, I ask…
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| Technical Exhibit hall at the National Science Congress -Nakuru High |
Anyway.. I eventually get there and there is so much..
First is a solar powered lawn mower presented by Kiran Hirji
and Korafia Amos and supervised by one Mr. Tanui from St Anthony Boys
High
School Kitale. Never mind the fact that the pictures here-in are not
done by a professional and I used a 3 mega pixels phone camera.
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| Solar Powered Lawn Mower -Left=Kiran Right=Korafia |
I inquire and get explanation of how the stuff works and I
also tell them why I am here. Mr. Tanui promises to liaise with me so that we
can organize when his school will visit KUCT. I then proceed to the next
exhibitor.
Jatalram Academy from
kisumu (E&OE) has ferried two of its students David Odongo and Samantha Cook
who are supervised by one Mr. Tobias Nyamo ( I had missed the spelling of his
name and he quickly corrected me saying, “its not the one that means an animal
in your mother tongue…”, "how did he know I am a Kikuyu, I have uttered nothing
in that language so far”-I ask myself.) Any way, his team is here to exhibit
what they call a Solar Powered Fruit Dehydrator. See the picture
I ask a few questions and get very detailed answers. I also
tell them why I am here. Later I proceed to the next exhibitor.
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| Front Left-Cook Front Right-David |
William tells me they are exploiting the principle of Motion
bra bra bra... . The stuff is made from recycled material save for the motor.
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| Left=Peter Right=William |
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| The solar panel used by Hermon and Johnson |
Next is Hermon
and Johnson with a Herson potato peeler. They are from
Nyahururu High School..not very far from KUCT. The two lads are supervised by
Mr. Wagure and their device is unique coz it is solar powered… At this point I
am already asking myself…” are we Kenyans experiencing a renascence in terms of
solar technology?”
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| Herson solar powered Potato peeler |
Anyway, here are the clips for this..
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| Grains and Nuts Threshing machine |
Next I visit a number of stands and what attracts my
interest the most is a grain and Nut thresher machine fabricated by
Waweru and Maina
and supervised by Samuel Macharia of Murang’a’s Njumbi High school. Mr.
Macharia can name all students from Njumbi who have joined Kimathi and I
can
immediately identify two..one in TIE the other in IT. He tells me that
his
first advice to students who want to join a technology university that
is
outside Nairobi county is KUCT. See the clips.
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| Left=Maina Centre=Author Right=Waweru |
To all exhibitors, I do not hesitate to do what I came here
for and most students I talked to expressed interest in joining KUCT to nature
their innovative minds save for the two from Ruiru High school who want to
pursue a degree in journalism.
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| Anthony Mutua innovator-Shoe Mobile Phone Charger |
On my way out I meet Lawrence Matolo, Chairman Inventors and
Innovators Association of Kenya(IIAK). You may want to Google his name for more
info. Together with Mr Matolo is Anthony Mutua-He of the shoe phone charger
innovation (the story was in the news last month). The later tells me he is yet
to complete his degree but already has a company and even has employed his former
classmates who have already graduated. He tells me he raised his capital (Ksh
480,000) by offering services at the Nairobi international trade fair when he
went to exhibit there as a student. In the meantime Mr .Matolo, takes interest
in an open door in a class room and I ask him, “what is it with the door?”..He replies,
“men are funny, why do we make doors and tables for rooms that will remain open
throughout the day. Why can’t we
fabricate a convertible door that turns into a table for use during the day and
at night becomes a door…this helps me understand him and why he holds the
position of chairman of IIAS. After a little chat we part our ways but not
before Matolo quotes from a book by
Stephen Roshen (Future Facts) “The greatest impediment to innovations is the
Experts”
Sorry guys, I have to go take my supper now. Its getting
late..Watch this space.
By Ephantus Kinyanjui K KUCT E-Learning Centre/Computer Science Department -0721 37 46 16
