Students representing 30 schools from across Ireland presented their projects to the annual ‘Science for Development’ virtual showcase, hosted jointly by Self Help Africa and Irish Aid.

The event provided a platform for students to discuss and workshop projects that had first featured at the annual BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, and were viewed by a panel of scientists to have potential within a Global Development setting.

Minister of State for Overseas Development and the Diaspora Colm Brophy commended the student participants for creating projects and addressing issues that could have an application both at home in Ireland and in the Developing World, while Self Help Africa’s senior agricultural advisor Paul Wagstaff applauded the students for the innovation and imagination in their projects.

The digital event was attended by more than 100 teachers and students, and amongst the work to feature were projects that addressed racial prejudice, climate change and genetics, renewable energy, wind turbines, predicting weather patterns, vertical gardening, using nettles for clothing, using rushes for home heating and topics that addressed the Covid-19 pandemic.

Director of Global Programmes Feilim McLaughlin at Irish Aid said that the ‘Science for Development’ award and showcase were amongst the most important Development Education initiatives supported by Irish Aid.

Watch our video below highlighting some of the projects involved: