UDS student wins interdisciplinary pitch competition
A student from the University for Development Studies, Maltiti Mohammed, has won this year’s Falling Walls Lab pitch competition, a global interdisciplinary pitch competition for students and early-career professionals.
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It is also a platform where innovators and creative thinkers meet to promote exceptional ideas and to connect promising scientists and entrepreneurs from all fields on a global level.
This year’s Falling Walls Lab Ghana included projects in agricultural science and farming, health, plastic recycling and the fight against deforestation, among others.
About Falling Walls Lab
Organised by Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Ghana, Falling Walls Lab is a world-class pitch competition, networking forum, and stepping stone that brings together a diverse and interdisciplinary pool of students and early-career professionals by providing a stage for breakthrough ideas both globally and locally.
DAAD supports participants in driving their innovations and developing their communication skills, fostering collaboration and creating a space for our impactful and sustainable community to thrive.
Idea
Mr Mohammed won with his ‘Breaking the Wall of Plastic Pollution’ idea which talked about the eradication of plastic pollution in an innovative way.
He would be representing Ghana in Berlin for the final lap of the contest.
His solution to one of Ghana’s biggest pollutants of its water bodies is to start a clothing and accessories company, which would rely solely on recycled plastics.
This would involve melting and extruding the plastic into filaments and then drawing and twisting the filaments into yarn which then could be used to make beautiful fabrics for clothing such as T-shirts.
Regional Maritime University’s Kekeli Yaw Dorkenoo emerged second with the ‘Breaking the Wall of AIDS Deaths’ idea while John Arday Ardayfio from Husk Technologies, took the third place with the idea of ‘Breaking the Wall of Hazards and Child Labour.’
Each of them received a certificate and some souvenirs from the organisers.
Appreciation
Mr Mohammed, who could not hold back his tears of joy after being declared the winner, was also excited about the opportunity to represent Ghana on a global level, expressing his appreciation to the organisers for the opportunity.
“I would like to thank the members of the jury for their commitment, I know it was not an easy task, the other contestants were equally good and had brilliant ideas so I can only imagine what they had to go through to come to this conclusion.
I am grateful.
“To my family, school and friends, thank you for the support and for believing in me.
Your criticisms also played a role in the feat I have achieved.
Thank you,” he said.
Opportunity
Mr Mohammed seized the opportunity to urge the youth to take advantage of such competitions.
“No idea is too small, once you put your mind to it, you can.
“There are so many things we can do to make the world a better place.
I urge you to take advantage of some of these platforms and show the world what you are capable of,” he noted.
