Young Scientists Innovate for Africa

Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio, visits Ireland today to present the Irish Aid/Self Help ‘Science for Development’ Award at the BT Young Scientist Competition.

The Award, sponsored by Irish Aid and Self Help Development, is designed to encourage Young Scientists to consider the benefits that scientific innovation can bring to developing countries. Speaking at the exhibition the Minister of State for Irish Aid, Conor Lenihan TD, said:

“By sponsoring this award, Irish Aid hopes to encourage Young Scientists to examine the issues and challenges facing communities in the developing world.  The projects on display today show great innovation. We need to harness this innovation and combine it with a growing interest among young Irish people in development issues to deliver real change in our partner countries”.

 Note to editors:

This is the second year that Irish Aid has sponsored this award. It will be given to the project that demonstrates the most potential for practical application in a developing country. Areas of innovation that projects might examine include food security, clean water, environmental and health issues. The student and teacher behind the winning project will travel to a Self Help project in Uganda to see first-hand the positive impact that technology and innovation can have in development.

Self Help Development is an Irish NGO with operations in five eastern African countries. It encourages communities to help themselves and employs innovative technologies to bring about sustainable progress. 

Trevor Baylis’ invention of the wind-up radio has facilitated communication in many isolated communities in the developing world, bringing greater awareness of social and health related issues.

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