Murrupula Science Fair 2013

Saturday was Murrupula’s Science Fair.  After initial information meetings with about 15-20 interested students, 5 students actually created projects to present on the day of the fair. 

This year’s fair started off a lot like last year’s - waiting, a theme common in this country.  Again, like last year, the keys to the conference room where we intended to hold the fair were with someone who had apparently decided to travel that morning, despite his prior knowledge of the fair’s occurrence.  Different from last year though, this year I worked closely with a member of the district’s Ministry of Science and Technology, meaning I could delegate the task of searching for the keys to him. 

This partnership with the Ministry is the beginning step in attempting to transfer the responsibility of planning the fair to local counterparts in effort to make the project more sustainable without Peace Corps involvement.  I took the responsibility of working with the students, while they were in charge of the location and prizes.

Eventually, about an hour and a half later, my counterpart showed up with the keys and we could begin preparing for the event.  Only two and a half hours behind schedule, but right on African time, all the participants and important guests had arrived and we began the fair.

The event started with a theatrical presentation by Adrienne’s JUNTOS group (Jovens Unidos no Trabalho para Oportunidades e Sucesso – Youth United in the work for Opportunities and Success) about the importance of using condoms in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Then, the exhibitors began their presentations.  The five students were divided up based on their grade; first cycle students, grades 8-10, and second cycle, grades 11-12.

First up were the first cycle students, all three of them in 10^th grade.  Albino, who received third place, presented a demonstration on the inability of water and oil to mix.

Second place winner Jacinto created an economical shoe polish using chimney ash mixed with oil.

And Belfim, who earned first place, demonstrated how one can separate a mixture of sand and salt through filtration followed by evaporation. 

The two second cycle participants, 12^th graders, were my biology students last year and had a friendly competition going, teasing each other before the fair over who was going to win.  

Anifo wound up taking first place with his creative project using an orange to create a candle that lasts for over 6 hours.  He carved out the fruit leaving the white center part to function as a wick.  Explaining about capillary action, he then added oil to the dried peel.  Upon lighting, the candle created a surprising bright light.

Aires researched the medicinal properties of the Artemisia plant, the active ingredient in the medication Coartem used to treat Malaria, and created a cream one can apply to treat various illnesses like chicken pox, colic, and rashes.

Sitting in the audience watching each student give his presentation, I felt like a proud parent watching my children perform.  I could see their hands shaking, their search for the answer to the jury panel’s questions as they defended their project and showed their knowledge of the scientific concept they were demonstrating.  I sat their smiling, trying to be the friendly face in the audience, the sympathetic one who understood that this was probably their first time ever standing in front of an audience of about 25-30 people and publically speaking.  Maybe their projects weren’t scientific geniuses, but I was proud of them for their hard work and courage to actually participate, using their own heads and knowledge to design a project where many other students never would.

 

Following their presentations, JUNTOS presented another play and demonstrated how to properly put on a condom with a banana prop while the three professor judges conferred.  We ended with a few words from our guest administrators and presentation of certificates (very desirable items in this country) and prizes.  Prizes include a case, several notebooks and pens and pencils.

Overall, the fair wasn’t a grand spectacle, not very many people showed up to watch (partly due to a last minute scheduling of a conflicting exam for many students) but I am still happy with the outcome and am excited to take the top four students to the Nampula provincial fair in August.  It’s a great experience for them to see the work and learn from other students, an opportunity they otherwise would probably never have.  

Unfortunately, this picture came out blurry, but on the left is my Ministry counterpart followed by his boss and then me with the students.  Behind is the provincial representative who works to coordinate the provincial fair.