Young scientists set for national showcase

DAR ES SALAAM: ABOUT 90 young scientists and innovators from across the country are set to showcase home-grown solutions to community challenges at the Young Scientists Tanzania (YST) 2026 national exhibition in Dar es Salaam.

The exhibition scheduled for September 17 will bring together students and teachers from Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar to present innovations in climate change, agriculture, environmental conservation and public health.

The event is expected to be officiated by the Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adolf Mkenda. Speaking ahead of the exhibition, YST co-founder, Dr Gozibert Kamugisha said the programme received 1,330 applications this year, with 90 projects selected for the national finals.

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“If the problem concerns energy, agriculture or the environment, students are encouraged to ask themselves how the knowledge they acquire in class can help them find a solution,” he said.

Dr Kamugisha said the programme encourages students to develop practical solutions to problems affecting their communities.

He said some projects from previous editions have progressed into incomegenerating ventures, including fertiliser made from untreated human hair and a plant-based mosquito repellent developed by students.

“The young people who developed it have already created employment for themselves and for others involved in producing the product,” he said.

More than 500 secondary school students from schools across Dar es Salaam are expected to attend the exhibition to interact with the finalists and learn from their projects.

The finalists will compete for medals, trophies and cash prizes ranging from 300,000/- to 2m/-.

Karimjee Foundation Executive Officer, Ms Caren Rowland said the foundation has so far awarded scholarships to 53 young Tanzanians through the competition and will add four more this year in the Overall Winner and Special Education Winner categories.

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