AS a young child growing up, I repeatedly heard of the plea for Namibians to engage in science related subjects at school.

Or alternatively to partake in science fairs, but I have always wondered what happens to the good innovative projects started by young, budding Namibian scientists.

I beg to differ though that for as long as such good innovative projects continue to be something to take home and store in some dusty garage at the end of the science fair then science fairs do not spur young scientists to come up with good innovations.

I have seen young men and women hard at work inventing cellphones out of scrap parts, a cardboard-box car using salt water as petrol, helicopters that were tested to have flown though at a low altitude and a foil satellite dish to mention but a few. Are these not good enough projects?

What equally breaks my heart about these good projects is that some of these young scientists have become school dropouts and are using their skills to do sloppy work in the communities with others employed here and there, but do not have access to develop their ideas further or more so revamp their products to benefit all and sundry.

I am wobbling with thoughts trying to understand why science is painted to be such a necessity if science fair projects continue to go to waste –correct me though but I am yet to see such young scientist being encouraged to come up with inventions that could ease our lives.

My dream is to see these young scientists being sent for training and further develop their ideas so that Namibia too can have its own manufacturing industry and schools of innovation.

My hope is to hear that the next scientist is from the land of the brave, until then.

BY Nuusita Ashipala