Following the success of the first three editions, Total Energies recently held another start upper of the year challenge in 32 African countries. For this special edition, organized against the backdrop of the company’s centennial year, 100 entrepreneurs from across the continent were recognized and rewarded via three prize categories. Today, we have 2 young Eritrean female engineers as our guests. They won this year’s challenge in the power-up category for the best project related to sustainable and affordable energy. Here’s their explanation of their experience and vision in the chemical engineering field.
Thank you so much for your time, ladies; please introduce yourselves to our readers.
Thank you for having us. I’m Khamail Alhassen Mohammed, and I was born and raised in Asmara, Eritrea. I went to Jalia Elementary and Junior School, proceeding to Barka Secondary School. I went to the Sawa training center to continue my 12th grade, take my matriculation exam with the 31st round, and joined Mai- Nefhi College of Science and Technology in the Department of Chemical Engineering. I graduated in 2024 with the 17th commencement with a BA degree in chemical engineering. I then took a postgraduate diploma in pedagogy at Asmara College of Education for a year. Currently, I am working as a teacher in Sawa. And I am Midian Seletsion Mogos. I was born and raised in Barentu, Eritrea, where I attended elementary, junior, and secondary school. Like my fellow colleague, I joined Sawa with the 31st round and Mai-Nefhi College of Science and Technology in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Shortly after my graduation in 2024, I took a postgraduate diploma in pedagogy for a year and am currently working as a teacher in Sawa.
You participated in this year’s Start upper Challenge. Tell us more about this competition.
Total Energies is a big company that produces energy. The program has been held twice before in Eritrea. This year was the third program held due to the company’s 100th anniversary. The challenge strengthens the social fabric in local communities by helping the continent’s most innovative entrepreneurs carry out their projects. Total Energies selected three winners from the categories of Innov’Up for the best entrepreneur, Cycle’ Up for the best project relating to the circular economy, and Power’ Up for the best project relating to sustainable and affordable energy. Numerous research papers are prepared and presented by engineering students in college in Eritrea. However, despite the numerous papers, only 56 people participated this year. We presented our project under the Power ‘Up category, winning the best project award.
So, what was the project that you prepared?
Our project is called biocharcoal briquettes Production from Prosopis juliflora. Prosopis juliflora is a palm date tree that grows in Eritrea and is believed to be an invasive vegetation, locally called ‘Temri Musa’. It grows in almost every part of the Eritrean regions. However, the tree also poses considerable threat to the local ecosystem due to pervasive expansion and subsequent destruction of the surrounding lands and water sources. A lot of money and energy is spent to remove those plants as they grow on their own without any care. Seeing this as an advantage instead of a threat, we decided to try and use Prosopis juliflora to make healthier and more affordable charcoal. We consume a lot of traditional charcoal daily, which is inefficient and exposes us to health-threatening emissions. Thus, we planned to minimize the emissions and create more affordable bio-charcoal briquettes with HHV (higher heating value) using these trees. We analyzed the Prosopis juliflora wood’s moisture content, fuel characteristics, volatile matter, and so on. We then went through the process of reducing its size and removing the emissions of hazardous chemicals. We didn’t release those hazardous emissions out of the air, though. Instead, we condensed, liquidated, and changed it into something useful. We then used eco-friendly products and created compacted or briquette-size charcoal through a binder compressor. So, the product has a higher heating value, is affordable, eco-friendly, and has no hazardous emissions. We are the winners of the Power’ Up Start upper of the Year and will benefit from monetary support to make prototypes and document our project. We can then get more commissions to continue our project as a business, along with personalized support and a communication campaign to enhance our project’s visibility.
What is your overall goal?
We are young engineers who are passionate about contributing to aiding our society. Our goal is to solve the current problems in society, like this bio-charcoal briquettes production project. Our aim as chemical engineers is to create solutions for society. This is the first eco-friendly product that we are currently working on. This is just the beginning for us, however. We are striving to come up with more problem-solving products and eventually help in national wellness and development.
As young females, what suggestions do you have for other young girls who are currently in college?
A piece of advice that we would love to give to young girls is that they shouldn’t be limited in their horizon. They should instead aspire to realize their innate potential. There are obsolete stereotypes which in essence discouraged female enrolment in certain fields such as engineering. We must challenge and discard such conventional presumptions behind and go the extra mile to break fallacious stereotypes. We can do a lot as we have a society that supports and empowers women. Let’s use our opportunities and dare to dream big. We Eritrean females can make our dreams come true in any endeavour.
What’s next for you in the engineering field?
We are preparing many research papers with our advisors which are currently under review and approval for publication. We are striving to contribute solutions to issues that society might have. We are so grateful to our government for the free educational access and opportunity afforded to us from elementary to college levels. We wouldn’t have been here right now if it wasn’t for this opportunity. We also thank our advisor and instructor, Mr. Ramesh B.Aremanda, Department of Chemical Engineering. We are also grateful to our parents and the support of our society. We will be back with more helpful solutions and products.
Thank you. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors!
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