In an effort to recognise and celebrate the work done by the participating schools, Samsung took the time to speak to both learners and teachers from four finalist schools that entered the competition this year. The aim of the conversation was to ascertain how these participants felt about being part of the contest, how their experience has been and how their preparations were going before the prototype presentation in October. A crucial stage that would determine which school would end up walking away with the ultimate prize; and this is what they had to say:

Nomfundo Manqele, a learner from Adams College in KwaZulu-Natal expressed how thrilled she was to be part of the finalist schools. However, from time to time she did experience a bit of anxiety and a roller coaster of emotions when she was reminded just how big the competition was. Nomfundo mentioned that it was both an incredible and hectic experience for both the teachers and learners as they all learnt new things, every day.

She also admitted to the fact that they also faced many challenges along the way, but overall, it was an affirming experience. Nomfundo added by saying: “Preparations for our final prototype are currently underway and coming along quite nicely. Although, we have encountered many challenges in this journey, we somehow found a way to persevere. In spite of the challenges, I am certain that the win is coming to KZN considering the effort we put into crafting our masterpiece.”

To date, we’ve learnt quite a lot in this competition and one of the lessons that stands out for us and one that we will forever hold onto is that: “In life, if you want to go far, go together. Nothing beats working well as a team and having a great leader that will lead you to victory through healthy competition and teamwork.”

Nomfundo’s words of encouragement to schools that haven’t yet entered the contest are: “This is a really challenging contest that requires hard work and dedication, so always bear that in mind. However, in a competition arena, resilience separates winners from the rest. There are no winners or losers, only learners – nothing more, nothing less.”

Amyoli Resha, a grade 11 learner from Khwezi Lomso Comprehensive School at Zwide township in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape said: “Entering the Samsung SFT competition and even becoming a finalist makes me feel very ecstatic.

“This competition and this milestone has brought a sense of pride, considering the fact that we are the only school in the Eastern Cape to make it to the Top 20 & Top 10, we definitely embody the spirit of the Home of Legends.”

He added that it has been quite a wonderful, yet very challenging experience. From the start of the programme, their team has enjoyed a great deal of support from the entire school and its faculty. And this unwavering support is what got the team through all the challenges they faced during the process leading up to where it is today.

Amyoli confidently said that the preparations for the prototype were going quite smoothly. “The team is not in panic mode because we were told that the final product may take some time to materialise into perfection. However, by the look of things and the confidence we possess – the team is more than convinced that we WILL definitely Bring the Win Home,” he added.

Above all, the competition has taught the whole team from Khwezi Lomso – the importance of teamwork and believing that their combined proposals and ideas can actually make a large impact. Amyoli then called upon all schools to enter this competition so that they can unleash their learners’ potential because this contest will give them the opportunity to advance and explore their imaginations.

Zandile Sonandze, a teacher also from Khwezi Lomso Comprehensive School in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape said that she’s very excited because they didn’t think that they could get this far in the competition, especially as a new entry. She said that, as an educator, the entire team’s confidence has been boosted enough to enter other competitions. “When we first entered the SFT competition, we didn’t even think that we would be selected for the first round, but look at us now,” Zandile exclaimed.

According to this enthusiastic teacher: “This experience has been exciting and overwhelming at the same time, because everything had to go as planned. Our learners are also excited to be in the Finals and for the opportunity to fly to Johannesburg. Our educators and the entire school are also cheering for us – they are all very proud of how far we’ve come.”

Zandile also explained that the preparations are not yet 100%, and that there are still some finer details they are trying to wrap-up in an effort to help the team to win the competition. However, she said that they are trying their best to be as creative as possible – the team is now just hoping for the best. She has also taken the time to encourage other schools to enter the competition as this has been an eye opening experience for their entire school.

Phume Unarine, a learner and group leader from Thengwe High school located in the Limpopo Province said that she’s very happy and looking forward to what the finals have in store for them. For Phume and her team, this has been one of the most interesting and exciting experiences that the learners, teachers and their whole school has participated in.

“The preparations for our prototype went according to our plans,” Phume added confidently. “We’ve faced every obstacle that came our way with the full support of our mentor whose support has been crucial to us reaching this stage of the competition. I have confidence in my team and I’m convinced that we’re going to come out victorious.”

During this competition, we learnt that people aren’t the same and their differences are what makes them unique. She added that she learnt that teamwork is not only about being part of a group and that a great leader is made by the motivated people around him or her. I’d like to advise other schools that have not yet participated in this contest to take a leap of faith and enter because this will help them discover more knowledge and open them up to new experiences that they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else.

Makhosazana Mazibuko, a learner and team leader from Mandisa Shiceka School of Specialisation in Gauteng appreciated being part of the SFT competition and found the contest to be a very exciting experience that she thoroughly enjoyed. She also saw this as an opportunity to improve her community. For Makhosazana, the competition was full of research and helped their team members to create lasting bonds. As far as preparation for the prototype presentation is concerned, she said: “It’s going very well, we are productive and are dealing with our trial and errors very well. Our idea involves one of the basic necessities in our community and is unique, so I’m very confident that we will win.”

During this competition, Makhosazana believes that she learnt how to be patient, how to “turn down” ideas and how to be a better leader. Overall, she’s learnt to be kinder and more understanding with circumstances, peers, adults and above all herself. She also feels that her presentation skills have improved and that she’s gained more confidence, in herself and her intellect.

And lastly, Nonki Bridgette Motlogelwa, an educator from Mandisa Shiceka – a Gauteng-based Maths, Science & ICT School of Specialisation, with a focus in mining and manufacturing said: “As a new entry, I feel so honoured and grateful to be part of the competition. Over the last few months, we put in so much effort into our idea and to know that it is being appreciated – has truly made us feel on top of the world. Now, we feel like we can do anything as long as we put our minds to it.” 

Nonki expressed how proud and blown away she was by the learners from her school. She explained how they have shown so much courage, creativity and teamwork, a clear indication that they are heading in the right direction. During the competition process, the learners started feeling the pressure but fortunately they pulled through and decided to do hydroponics. This technique involves growing plants using water-based nutrient solution rather than soil.

When it was announced that the school is in the top 10, the entire school was so happy, this has motivated other school learners to want to enter next year. Having a Samsung mentor as well, she believes, made this challenging experience much easier, because she was able to guide the team through.

For Nonki, the overall experience was amazing and thought-provoking. She also confirmed that their preparations for the prototype presentation are going well, the learners are putting their all and their teamwork is superb. The learners were also able to alternate themselves in terms of building the prototype and preparations for the final presentation. 

Nonki is encouraging learners from other schools who have not yet participated in this SFT competition to always take chances and believe in themselves, because the future is in their hands. “Because all the learners have the brains and creativity, its important to let them shine and show the world that every individual deserves an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances,” concluded Nonki.

Samsung has announced the Top 10 Finalist Schools selected from the Top 20 Finalist Schools that attended an extensive six weeks of the most crucial part in the second phase of the Solve for Tomorrow 2024 Competition – the Design Thinking Workshops.

The theme for this year’s competition – ‘Our Environment’, speaks to Samsung’s overall approach to business and commitment to prioritising environmental sustainability as a business imperative. This also aligns perfectly with most of the projects that the learners are undertaking in the competition, which vary from recycling and water purification, to devising ways to conserve limited resources such as electricity and water.

The Design Thinking Workshop stage specifically designed to help both learners and their educators from the 2024 Top 20 Finalist Schools to prepare for the crucial, next prototype development phase enabled some of the country’s most brilliant young minds to refine their ideas and create their paper prototypes. From 08 April-to-14 May 2024, the Top 20 Finalists participated in workshops conducted in conjunction with Samsung mentors at central venues in their provinces. Samsung also sponsored each team with a tablet and data to help them do research and communicate effectively with their mentors.

The provinces that participated included Gauteng with (8 semi-finalists), Limpopo (3), Free State (4), KwaZulu-Natal (3), Eastern Cape (1) and Mpumalanga (1). The second stage, which included intensive mentorship sessions and engagement with the teams from the participating schools, has allowed the judges to determine which schools had the best paper prototypes – good enough to make it to the Top 10 Finalist Schools that can now compete for the ultimate prize.

The Top 10 Finalist Schools in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition are now in a race against time to complete their solutions in a critical, next prototype development phase of the nationwide challenge. This involves creating physical prototypes to solve the various environmental challenges that the learners identified in their respective communities. Samsung is enabling these learners by giving them funding for their actual prototypes.

Below is a list introducing the Top 10 schools that have been selected, which include:

The final stage of the competition will be an opportunity for each school to present the physical prototype of their solution to a panel of judges with the potential to win STEM equipment for their schools worth R100 000 (1st place), R50 000 or R30 000 (2nd and 3rd places respectively). In addition to the main prizes, each of the learners in the top three teams will be rewarded with a Samsung device.

Lenhle Khoza, Manager for BBBEE and Transformation at Samsung South Africa said: “We are exceptionally proud of all the schools that participated this year as well as those that made it to the Top 20. Now, we would like to congratulate the Top 10 Finalist Schools for making it this far.

“The rigorous process that these schools went through and the amazing ideas that came out of it, is a clear indication of just how brilliant the learners for this year are. We would like to wish the schools moving to the crucial next phase, all the best and would like to re-affirm our commitment in helping them reach their ultimate goals.”

Samsung recently completed a crucial part in the second phase of the Solve For Tomorrow 2024 Competition – the Design Thinking Workshops with some of the country’s brilliant young minds who are part of this year’s Solve for tomorrow competition Top 20 Finalists.

These workshops are specifically designed to help both learners and their educators to prepare for the crucial prototype development phase. More importantly, these skills-transfer sessions are not only developed to encourage learners to think, speak and act like designers, but also to build strong teams and gain research insights that could transform their ideas from the conceptual stage to a solution that addresses concerns within their communities.

Conducted in conjunction with Samsung mentors at central venues where the finalist schools are based, the Design Thinking Workshops took place from 08 April-to-14 May 2024 and the provinces that participated included Gauteng with (8 finalists), Limpopo (3), Free State (4), KwaZulu-Natal (3), Eastern Cape (1) and Mpumalanga (1).

The theme for this year’s competition: ‘Our Environment’ speaks to Samsung’s overall approach to business and commitment to prioritising environmental sustainability as a business imperative. This also aligns perfectly with most of the projects that the learners are undertaking in the competition which vary from recycling and water purification, to devising ways to conserve limited resources such as electricity and water.

With immense pride, Lenhle Khoza, Manager for BBBEE and Transformation at Samsung South Africa said: “As Samsung, we went into the workshops to transfer skills to learners from the Top 20 Finalist schools who made it because they had the best conceptual ideas this year. However, what we didn’t anticipate after spending time with them – was finding out that some of the most brilliant minds in the country were actually from the schools that are located in some of the most impoverished areas in South Africa. For us, this was both very impressive and refreshing.”

One of the main objectives for this year’s Design Thinking workshops was to equip the learners with essential skills and insights necessary to transform their innovative ideas into tangible solutions as they use Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) to address critical environmental issues within their communities. In Samsung CSR team’s interactions with the learners, they found out that some of the school learners were so passionate, self-motivated and reliant, to the extent that they proactively entered the contest without the knowledge of their teachers.

Their educators were made aware after they had submitted their entry for this contest. In addition, some of the sentiments that were shared by the beneficiaries about their experience at this year’s workshops included the following:

Both the learners and the educators expressed just how excited and honoured they felt to be part of the workshops. They expressed how grateful they were to have acquired some critical skills that included how to communicate better with their team members, how to identify and acknowledge their mistakes but most importantly, how to learn from them so that they could use this knowledge to improve their solutions. Most of the learners now know that no idea is too big or too small.

Almost all the learners and educators are confident that their schools that are part of the Top 20 Finalists will win the ultimate prize of the Solve For Tomorrow competition. The educators in particular, are convinced that their learners are very smart and creative, when given sufficient opportunities to learn. When asked what they will do with the prize money, they all indicated their plight when it comes to limited resources in their schools.

This is because most of the learners come from communities that are adversely affected by the country’s socio-economic issues. In most of these schools, there is a huge need for equipment that can be used in the schools’ science and technology labs and/or their specialisation workshops. They believe that this equipment will help their learners to enrich their knowledge and interest in technological subjects and other critical trades as well.

And furthermore, the team of facilitators which included the Samsung mentors – found the time they spent at the workshops with both the learners and their educators – very fulfilling. This was mainly because of the learner’s enthusiasm to learn and how they saw the workshops as a platform to prepare everyone for what’s coming in the next phases of the competition.

Another learner from Mbilwi Secondary, the school that won first prize in the 2023 Solve for Tomorrow contest indicated just how elated they were to be part of the Top 20 Finalist Schools for 2024. This is because the workshops presented an opportunity for their team to further develop their idea and be able to solve environmental issues within their community. The skills they felt that they learnt include co-operating with their team members, brainstorming as well as creative and critical thinking.

The Mbilwi school learner explained further: Winning last year’s competition motivated another group of learners in our school to enter the contest again this year. Last year’s win and this year’s workshops have had a very positive impact on us. We are now motivated enough to enter more competitions and to do better at school with the resources that we acquired with the prize money we won.

A learner from Kwezilomso Comprehensive school in Gqeberha – the only school from the Eastern Cape that made it to the Top 20 Finalists said: We are excited to be part of the Top 20 and we would like to win the first prize of the competition. What we’ve learnt so far are the dynamics and necessary steps that we need to implement throughout our design process as well as to consider the effects that our design could have on our community.

Khoza expressed just how impressed she and her Samsung colleagues were to see the learners’ level of confidence which grew immensely as the workshop progressed. The learners came out of their shells and showed everyone how they didn’t allow their backgrounds to hinder their progress.

“Most of these exceptional learners are actually so  oblivious of their personal surroundings and only see the world as one full of infinite possibilities – far beyond their current circumstances. As the Samsung team, we were also impressed by the educators of these learners who – against all odds and with very limited resources – are able to achieve amazing results and produce some of the country’s brightest minds,” Khoza concluded.

Scheduled from April 8 to May 14, 2024, the Design Thinking Workshops are being conducted at central venues in the provinces where the finalist schools are based – Gauteng (8 finalists), Limpopo (3), Free State (4), KwaZulu-Natal (3), Eastern Cape (1), and Mpumalanga (1). The workshops aim to equip the learners with essential skills and insights necessary to transform their innovative ideas into tangible solutions as they address critical issues within their communities.

The workshops are designed to foster a mindset of innovation and problem-solving, by encouraging participants to think, speak, and act like designers. Through interactive sessions, learners will learn the cognitive and structured process of human-centred design, thus enhancing their abilities in creative and critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

The Solve For Tomorrow competition is Samsung’s contribution to youth empowerment and skills development, and to help the country play a meaningful role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). It was also designed to increase interest and proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), while giving participating grade 10 and 11 learners from underserved communities an opportunity to gain invaluable skills as they solve some of their communities’ challenges.

The theme for this year’s competition, ‘Our Environment’, speaks to Samsung’s overall approach to business and commitment to prioritising environmental sustainability. Crucially, it also aligns with most of the projects that the learners will be undertaking in the competition, varying from recycling, and water purification, to devising ways to conserve limited resources such as electricity and water.

Key activities of the Design Thinking process, include preparing for interviews, identifying a point of view, brainstorming, and creating paper prototypes. Participants engage in hands-on activities to gain first-hand experience and develop the necessary skills to drive their creative solutions forward.

“We are thrilled to continue uplifting the country’s youth through the Samsung Solve For Tomorrow Competition. This initiative represents our commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators and problem solvers and these Design Thinking Workshops are a big part of that process. By empowering learners with practical skills and tools, we aim to bring positive change within their lives and communities,” said Lenhle Khoza, Manager for BBBEE and Transformation at Samsung South Africa.

The Samsung Solve For Tomorrow Competition officially launched in South Africa last year, garnering significant interest and participation from schools nationwide. Following the Design Thinking Workshops, the learners will, under the guidance of their teachers and mentors, embark on the next phase of research and prototype development in preparation for the competition’s finale. At the final stage, scheduled for October this year, the teams will present their prototypes to a panel of esteemed judges.

Samsung remains dedicated to supporting educational initiatives that drive innovation and address societal challenges. Through initiatives like the Samsung Solve For Tomorrow Competition and other similar programmes, the company continues to empower young minds and inspire positive change across South Africa.

Samsung South Africa is calling all learners in grade 10 and 11 from public schools in underserved communities to unleash that spark of innovation within them. The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition is the perfect platform for learners to display their scientific talents and show how Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) can be applied to positively impact their communities’ environmental challenges.

Launched in Africa in 2023, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a unique competition that encourages creative thinking, problem-solving skills and teamwork to nurture social innovative ideas that address local communities’ most pressing problems.

Entries for 2024 competition are open! Enter and stand a chance to win amazing prizes for your school. Teachers are encouraged to submit their schools applications now at https://www.samsung.com/za/solvefortomorrow/ for an opportunity to win up to R100 000 in technology and classroom supplies!

Be an agent of change! Enter the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition now.