Press release
Minister Fleming presents Science for Development award to students from Moate Community School
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
A project that developed biodegradable bandages from plant waste has been named winner of the 2024 Self Help Africa / Irish Aid Science for Development Award at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.
Minister for International Development and Diaspora, Sean Fleming, awarded the prize to Rachel Hamm and Ella Ryan, students at Moate Community School. The students were supported by their teacher, Mairead Cusack.
Minister Fleming said:
"The Science for Development Award encourages young people to explore how science and technology can address some of the big challenges facing the world today. Irish Aid has been proud to sponsor the Science for Development Award along with Self Help Africa since 2006.
“I was hugely impressed by the quality and diversity of projects, a number of which were looking at sustainable food production. Rachel and Ella from Moate Community School were deserved winners for their innovative project.
“I would like to congratulate Rachel and Ella, as well as their teacher Mairead Cusack and their wider school community, for the hard work that went into this project. I am delighted to see students in Ireland using their scientific skills and curiosity to try to create a better world. I want to congratulate all the students and teachers who entered into the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.”
The project, ‘Banana Bandages: A Sustainable Approach to Wound Care’, was aimed specifically for use in developing countries.
The award winners will travel to Africa as part of a Self Help Africa schools visit to give them an opportunity to further develop the project.
The award is adjudicated independently by the judges at the annual BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. The judges look for evidence that the students have set out how many modern challenges are global challenges, which require global solutions.
The Irish Aid stand at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition engaged young people on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 50th anniversary of Irish Aid, which is marked this year.