Latest news with #LefaMakgato
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Samsung successfully wraps up 2025 'Solve For Tomorrow' design thinking workshops
These Design Thinking Workshops were part of Phase 2 of the competition – where the top 20 schools were invited to collaborate and develop paper prototypes of their solutions. This phase has offered learners from various schools in the country, an opportunity to experience hands-on collaborative guidance from Samsung's mentors who helped them to tackle the next phase of their prototype developments. Themed: 'Infrastructure and Safety' – the Design Thinking workshops in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest are designed to equip learners with the skills to transform their ideas into workable solutions, particularly those addressing community challenges. The recent workshops focused on critical thinking, human-centred problem-solving and collaborative design. @thishawakutiktok The Design Thinking Workshops have come to an end ! Our Top 20 finalists have dived deep into human-cantered problem-solving, guided by Samsung mentors and equipped with new tablets. Where They were transforming community challenges into real-world solutions. 📜Let us hope that their paper prototypes will earn them a spot in the Top 10, Increasing their chance to win incredible prizes……/ 📔We cheered them on as they were 'SOLVING TOMORROWS PROBLEMS, TODAY'……🖊️ ⚠️Hope you are ready for the Top 10 Announcement, Stay tuned 📮 #SFT SolSolveForTomorrowEM ♬ original sound – ILembe Lothisha. According to Lefa Makgato, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager for Samsung Electronics in Southern Africa: 'It was amazing to see how well the school learners and their educators that participated in this year's Design Thinking Workshops responded to their assigned mentors and the experience as a whole. Both the learners and their educators found this experience engaging and beneficial for their learning and design processes.' 'As Samsung, we believe that the activities that these learners engaged in during the workshops are meeting the overall objectives of the Solve for Tomorrow competition. This contest has, from the onset, been seeking to foster collaboration among the learners, educators and their mentors as well as to develop their skills and promote a growth mindset. Importantly, this experience has now encouraged independent learning, challenged the learners' perspectives and allowed their mentors the opportunity to provide them with valuable feedback.' Some of the aspects of the Design Thinking workshops included the following: Skills Development: Learners have gained valuable skills in translating their ideas into practical solutions that can solve their respective communities' problems. Learners have gained valuable skills in translating their ideas into practical solutions that can solve their respective communities' problems. Human-Centred Design: The workshops emphasised understanding user needs and created solutions that can address real-world challenges. The workshops emphasised understanding user needs and created solutions that can address real-world challenges. Cognitive & Structured Processes: Participants have now learnt structured processes for creative problem-solving. Participants have now learnt structured processes for creative problem-solving. Collaboration & Communication: The workshops have fostered teamwork and improved the learner's communication skills, which are essential for successful project development. The workshops have fostered teamwork and improved the learner's communication skills, which are essential for successful project development. Prototype Development: These workshops have now successfully prepared learners for the next phase of the competition, where they will develop and present their prototypes. These workshops have now successfully prepared learners for the next phase of the competition, where they will develop and present their prototypes. Inspiration & Motivation: The workshops are designed to foster a mindset of innovation and problem-solving, encouraging learners to 'think, speak and act like designers. The workshops are designed to foster a mindset of innovation and problem-solving, encouraging learners to 'think, speak and act like designers. Support for Teachers: The workshops have also gone an extra mile as they have benefitted the teachers as well. This platform and the mentors have provided the tools and guidance for the educators to support their learners in the next, prototype development phase. @deemrsbee At the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Design Thinking workshops, learners were taught invaluable skills on how to transform their ideas from mere concepts to workable solutions, addressing the identified issues within their communities. At the end of this phase, the Top 20 Finalists are expected to submit the paper prototypes of the solutions they have identified. Judges will evaluate this to determine the top 10 schools, who will proceed to the final phase. The participating teams stand a chance to win exciting prizes and the recognition as South Africa's next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. @Samsung South Africa #SolveForTomorrow #SFT #STEM #Samsung ♬ original sound – Mrs Bullock And furthermore, with the help of Samsung mentors – the workshops have cultivated a mindset of innovation and great problem-solving skills. The Samsung team is convinced that the solutions developed by the brilliant learners in conjunction with their educators during this year's workshops – have the potential to make a real difference in their respective communities. Makgato added: 'We are pleased with the impact and outcomes of this year's Design Thinking Workshops. And, we are certain that these workshops have achieved the objective of enhancing the learners' ability to identify, analyse and solve problems creatively and effectively. 'As Samsung, we remain committed to using programmes such as the Solve for Tomorrow to bridge the country's resource gap in STEM education. We believe that by fostering innovation and social impact through technology, we also inspire learners to use their skills to improve their respective communities,' she concluded. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
25-04-2025
- Science
- The Citizen
Samsung celebrates selection of top 20 schools for the 2025 Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition
The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition which honours and recognises the innovative spirit of learners from quintile 1 – 4 public schools, aims to empower young people in grade 10 & 11 from underserved communities through education and skill enhancement, particularly focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This year's theme: 'Infrastructure and Safety' – challenges learners to tackle pressing issues in their schools and respective communities. The entries to this year's competition closed at the end of March and from the applications submitted – the Top 20 schools were selected to participate in the next phase of the competition, with the help of assigned Samsung employee mentors. This year, the selected participants are tasked with addressing genuine community problems using STEM principles, thus improving their analytical abilities and gaining professional guidance from Samsung employees. Launched for the first time in 2023 in South Africa, 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 challenges. Since inception, the competition has been growing from strength to strength and this alone, is an affirmation of Samsung's dedication to empowering the youth with the skills required to drive innovation and change. Lefa Makgato, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager for Samsung Electronics in Southern Africa said: 'Congratulations to the top 20 schools for advancing to the 2nd phase of the Solve for Tomorrow contest. We are incredibly impressed by the passion, creativity and innovative ideas demonstrated in their entries. Each submission has shown a deep commitment to addressing real-world challenges with fresh perspectives and practical solutions. At Samsung, we believe that the future is shaped by young minds and we are excited to see how their ideas will continue to inspire change and drive progress. Makgato explained with excitement how Samsung is now looking forward to seeing the learners' continued dedication in the next phase – where they will be expected to conduct research, develop paper prototypes and submit their solutions for evaluation. Below is a list of the Top 20 schools that have been selected: # SCHOOLS PROVINCE 1 Thengwe High School Limpopo 2 Setswakgosing Secondary School North-West 3 Lenakeng Technical School Free State 4 Mbilwi Secondary School Limpopo 5 Masibambane Secondary School Western Cape 6 Phomolong Secondary School Gauteng 7 NM Tsuene Secondary School Gauteng 8 Patrick Ramaano Secondary School Limpopo 9 Umlazi Comprehensive Technical High School Kwa-Zulu Natal 10 Moyaneng Secondary School Limpopo 11 Phaphamani Secondary School Mpumalanga 12 Khwezi Lomso Comprehensive School Eastern Cape 13 Adams College Kwa-Zulu Natal 14 Phendukani Full Service High School Kwa-Zulu Natal 15 Buhlebemfundo Secondary School Gauteng 16 Tembisa West Secondary School Gauteng 17 Lereng Secondary School Free State 18 Mthiyaqhwa High School Kwa-Zulu Natal 19 Koffiefontein Combined School Free State 20 Maphuthaditshaba Secondary School Mpumalanga And, with Samsung helping them with resources as well as mentors guiding them in phase two, the learners will need to conduct research, develop and submit their paper prototypes for the challenges they had identified in the preliminary phase. As part of this very crucial stage, the teams from the Top 20 schools for 2025 will now be taken to Design Thinking workshops to be held within their respective regions. Also, to help learners conduct their research and communicate with their mentors, the teams from the selected schools will be sponsored with a Samsung tablet as well as data. At the Design Thinking workshops, learners will be taught invaluable skills on how to best approach and get the most out of their work, think critically, speak and act like designers as well as a cognitive and structured process for human-centred, creative problem-solving. Learners will also be encouraged to focus on building strong teams and will be trained on how to conduct research that can help transform their ideas from mere concepts to workable solutions that can address the identified issues within their communities. At the end of this phase, the Top 20 Finalists will be expected to submit the paper prototypes of the solutions they have identified and the judges will evaluate to determine the top 10 schools to proceed to the final phase. The participating teams stand a chance to win exciting prizes and the recognition as South Africa's next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. In recognition of their efforts and brilliance, the participating schools have an opportunity to walk away with an overall, first prize of R100,000, the school that takes 2nd place will receive R50,000 and the school that will complete in third place will be awarded R30,000 in STEM equipment. Moreover, Samsung will yet again sweeten the deal by rewarding each of the learners in the top three teams with a Samsung device. Makgato added: 'These prizes combined with the principles of this competition are a clear indication of Samsung's commitment to empowering the country's youth and rewarding excellence. We would therefore like to encourage schools, learners and the broader community to follow the competition and support these schools that are not only participating in the competition but are also representing their respective communities.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
