Delta Corporation has always strived to make the world a better place, and with the Delta-BOOST Ethics and Social Responsibility program, we have managed to achieve this. 2019 marks the third year of this initiative and we have seen an upscale in the projects and the profits generated. Running under the theme “Towards a Cleaner World – Make a Difference Campaign”, we saw 12 universities participating with the assistance of mentors from the Delta Corporation Safety, Health and Environmental Teams alongside Finance personnel who assisted the various companies formed to improve their projects during the program implementation phase and see to it that previous investment amounts are reinvested in the businesses.
This year’s program objectives were as follows:
To raise awareness of the importance of a clean environment.
To promote and nurture students’ entrepreneurial capabilities.
Promote waste management and environmental cleanliness.
Enhance university students’ social etiquette, especially presentation skills.
Foster entrepreneurial skills among youth and women.
Inculcate good social responsibility and promote community participation.
After the three stages, which were the program launch, the project implementation, and the showcase, the young innovators took our breath away with their amazing, innovative projects. On the 8th of November 2019, the six teams took the stage at the Rainbow Towers and blew us away with their presentation skills and their projects. Three hundred and twenty-five guests attended this prestigious event, and we had the permanent secretary of Youth Sports, Arts, and Recreation, Dr. Thokozile Chitepo, as the guest of honor. Our keynote speaker of the day was the Director of Programs at the Environmental Management Agency Mr. Steady Kangata. Our judges for the day were a powerhouse! On the judges’ panel, we had Juwel Muzenda (Delta Corporation), Ron Morowe (Ram Group), Kuda Mundowozi (Huck Lib Pvt Ltd), and Lloyd Munetsi (Environmental Management Agency) who all graced us with their presence and intellectual capabilities.
The participating teams were judged on the following:
Anti-Litter awareness march,
Trade Booth Exhibitions and
Team presentation.
The first prize was ZWL$8 750 and it was awarded to Nano Alum (Harare Institute of Technology and Catholic University in Zimbabwe) who came up with a brilliant project where they recycle aluminum cans and further fabricates into nano aluminum particles.
Aluminum nanoparticles are availed as powders and dispersion. These aluminum nanoparticles exhibit anti-microbial, antifungal, and UV filtering properties. They can be used as reactive additives, for dispersion-strengthening, nano-composites, catalyst support, transparent conductive coating, biomaterials, heat transfer fluid (suspension), drug delivery, transport optical coating, material surface coating, and rotor blades for hydroelectric power plants. About 52 000 tonnes of aluminum cans are produced each month in Zimbabwe and disposed of as litter, which amounts to USD$11 million/year in returns if recycled presenting an opportunity for the company. Brilliant, right?!
Caste Elite (National University of Zimbabwe, Lupane State University and Great Zimbabwe University) walked away with the second prize. Though they didn’t win the first prize, they managed to scoop up an award and sponsorship of ZWL$10 000 for their project.
Caste Elite is a recycling company that is involved in the production of a variety of products such as neck pillows and green comforters. The company’s products are mainly made from shredded PET bottles and other post-consumer beverage packaging waste. The company operates a shredding machine in Bulawayo which has seen litter reduce in their community by giving new life to post-consumer beverage products of all types.
Other teams that took part in this competition and their ranking are as follows:
TEAM
RANK
AWARD
Technovative Recycling Company
(Midlands State University and Catholic University in Zimbabwe)
3
$4700
Afriwaste
(Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University and Bindura University of Science Education)
4
$3825
Planet Heroes (Women’s University and Delta Technical Institute)
5
$3125
Ecokeen
(Africa University and Manicaland State University)
6
$3100
Each team that took place walked away with not only awards for their projects, but with also a great feeling of knowing that they have changed their communities for the best!
Well done to the Delta-BOOST Ethics and Social Responsibility participants!
