From left: Mazen Makdad, Muhammad Saleh Al Malki, Saud Al Shemri and Ramez Bodair with their project ‘Score for the environment’. Salim Matramkot
BY RAYNALD C RIVERA
DOHA: Thirty-two enterprising students from various schools in Qatar presented eight innovative projects at the conclusion of ‘Back to the Future’ programme yesterday at the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q).
The young participants aged 15 to 17 were chosen from around 300 students from various schools who submitted their applications online at the beginning of the year.
“The main objective of the programme was to help students discover their talents and abilities and know what they want to be in the future,” said Mariem Chamekh, Editor-in-chief of Changers Organisation.
This was the third time Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) through its youth service club Changers Organisation organised the programme but was the first time to turn it into a two-week camp of extensive workshops.
“The camp which started on February 8 lasted for two weeks and comprised mainly workshops on self-discovery to help them know their talents and abilities,” said Chamekh.
Tests were conducted after workshops to ensure participants apply what they have learned in real-life situations. They consisted of various tasks such as research work on the problems facing Qatar and a ‘future changer’ task in which the participants were grouped to create their own projects in only five days.
The variety of projects ranged from environmental to fund-raising to innovative ones aimed at offering solutions to problems from the classroom to the larger community and the world.
One of the interesting projects was ‘Score for your environment’, a trash bin with a basket attached in which every time someone shoots the garbage properly would produce a clapping sound.
The group composed of Mazen Makdad, Muhammad Saleh Al Malki, Saud Al Shemri and Ramez Bodair said the project was aimed at motivating people to throw their garbage properly.
“We decided on this project to save water and take care of the environment,” said Aya Siddiq Fadul Al Noor of Amna bint Wahab Independent School, on their project.
Aya’s group collected used water bottles and utilised them to water plants and for animals. The empty bottles were then properly disposed.
Another group organised a movie night which collected over QR7,000 all of which was donated to Syria.
“We thought of a fund-raising project for Syria. We informed people about our project through Twitter and Facebook and it generated a huge response from many people who wanted to help Syria,” said Yara Kadi, one of the group members. The closing ceremony was attended by ROTA Director Essa Al Mannai and other officials. The Peninsula
