BY LINDELWA MYENI
MBABANE – More than 200 young Emaswati have submitted green ideas to the PachiPanda Challenge – Likhambi Lemvelo, with judges reviewing the shortlisted entries at the MTN headquarters in Ezulwini today to select 20 innovators who will proceed to the Green Innovation Accelerator Programme.
The response follows a two-week application period that invited young Emaswati to develop innovative solutions addressing environmental and economic challenges, including food and farming, water security, nature restoration, waste and energy.
MTN Eswatini Manager for Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Thandwayinkosi Dlamini said the high number of applications showed that young Emaswati were actively looking for opportunities to develop their ideas.
“This shows that the young Emaswati out there are thinking and looking for opportunities and when you give them that opportunity, they take it with both hands without hesitation,” Dlamini said.
From the more than 200 applications received, 50 were shortlisted for the first selection and adjudication round. Judges were reviewing the 50 entries at the MTN headquarters to identify the top 20 ideas that will advance to the next phase.
Dlamini said the 20 selected innovators would participate in an intensive business and environmental sustainability boot camp, where they would receive training on environmental issues, business, commerce and the commercial landscape in Eswatini.
He said the training would equip the innovators with knowledge to strengthen their ideas and enable them to grow them further.
Likusasa Letfu Partnership Development Manager Banele Nkhambule said the challenge was creating an enabling environment where young people could access information and opportunities to build careers and generate income.
“They’re creating an environment where opportunities are given to them through access to information and projects like this,” Nkhambule said.
Nkhambule said the arrival of PachiPanda in Eswatini was providing valuable exposure for young people while creating opportunities for them to explore entrepreneurship and employment.
“We received over 200 applications which shows the passion that young people have in generating an income and employment,” he said.
Launched under the theme “Nature Meets Innovation: Unlocking Africa’s Green Economy,” the PachiPanda Challenge seeks to identify innovative solutions that can contribute to environmental sustainability and economic opportunities.
The initiative is now moving from the application stage to the selection and development of promising ideas, with 20 young innovators expected to enter the Green Innovation Accelerator Programme.
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