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Shepherd Chimururi-Youth Interactive Correspondent

A Form 3 pupil at Nyatsime College, Tawananyasha Samupfawa, is not just your ordinary boy next door.

At 15 years old, he is already a serial winner, a decorated creator and an innovator.

Well some have  branded him as a celebrated scientist!  

While boys of his age are still reading about science theories, he is already making them.

While his peers are still cramming names of inventors in order to gain academic marks he has already been to the podium receiving medals for his own inventions.

Pure genius!

His list of inventions brings joy to proponents of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education.

Tawananyasha busy in the workshop.

A portable greenhouse, a hydroponic garden, an air pollution monitoring system and a timer clap switch, form part of his long list of his inventions.

It is these inventions that have carried him to the podium thrice at a tender age.

His first taste of success came when he attained the first position at SEITT competitions in 2019. Two years later he scooped a gold medal at Africa Science Buskers Festival in 2021 and followed it up with two silver medals at Zimbabwe Science Fair and at Chinhoyi Agricultural show held this year.

In an interview with the Youth Interactive, Samupfawa the tech enthusiast who does specialises in  electrical and software engineering chronicled his beginnings.

“I started doing electronic engineering in 2018 when I was in grade 6. I was trained in basic stuff such as circuit designing and coding by Innocent Mafusire, the founder and director of Kimtronix global,” he said.

“Since then I have mastered languages like C++, PHP, CSS and Python. I also created a website www.000webhostapp.kidsintechguider.com.”

Samupfawa said his aim was to empower other students to be innovative.

“Right now I am working on a project called the Carbon Purification System that will help reduce the rate of carbon monoxide in the air. Our parents have this spirit of saying a kid can only be focused on school, but that’s not it we need some extracurricular subjects to do and find our inner selves.  My aim now is to empower other kids just like me. A wise man once told me that if you are not given an opportunity, you must create it, if you do not have money, make it. That is what I am doing, creating an opportunity for other young scientists just like me,” he explained.

The young visionary said wants to further his studies abroad.

“My desire is to get a scholarship at Massachusetts Institute of technology (MIT) which is the best tech institution in the world. However, currently I have some challenges. I have a lot of innovative ideas that will help this planet in the future, but due to lack of resources I can’t make some of the projects I have in mind,” he said.

The teen geek has tripartite sources of inspiration.

Tawananyasha receiving a prize for one of his innovations.

“There are three guys who are inspiring me. First is Tafadzwa Mutsamba, the CEO of Kimtronix Global who is both a software and electronic engineer. He is always encouraging me to keep working on my dreams and never give up. He always tells me that a person should rest when he is done, not when he is tired. 

“Brandon Mrehwa is more of a brother to me and he inspired me when he won a full scholarship to China when I was still in primary school. I always said to myself I am going to be next to win scholarship. The same applies to Panashe Mutize. He got a scholarship to the US this year to study electric engineering.”

Samupfawa has some invaluable advice to fellow students. “Education is not the filling of pail, but the lighting of a fire. Find what you are passionate about and then find the right people who will help you unlock the potential in you. Don’t grow up so fast because no one yet realizes the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child.”