Nabbingo girls pitch innovative ideas

WAKISO - On Saturday, all roads led to Trinity College Nabbingo (TRICONA) in Wakiso district for a curriculum fair with astonishing innovations.

The students displayed interesting inventions developed from their own ideas and research findings.

The school’s budding urban farmers demonstrated how urban dwellers can grow food crops on a small piece of land using drip irrigation. Students from the art and design department, out of a desire to protect the environment, made an ornate ‘garbage fountain’ (and other things) from discarded materials.

The group leader, Angella Nganzi, said: “We want all Ugandans to understand the importance of protecting Mother Earth. We can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.”

Students at Trinity College Nabbingo from the Red Cross club demonstrated first aid techniques during a fair at the school in Wakiso. (Credit: Mathias Mazinga)

The information technology students, led by the school’s budding software engineer, Ruby Nassali (Senior Three), developed the interesting “Yo-soil” App, which tests soil nutrients. The Luganda department exhibited local foods such as white yams (balugu).

Exhibitor Betty Nalubowa of Senior Two said: “Local dishes such as chicken and groundnut luwombo are nutritious and healthy. They also last long in the body, unlike junk food, which you eat and after one hour, you are hungry again.”

Christian religious education students surprised all by exhibiting cassava/maize porridge, local brew (mwenge bigere), banana juice, millet/carrot cakes and pancakes. A film by the literature in English students, which highlighted the common challenges of the girl-child and the achievements of women’s empowerment, also marvelled attendees.

Biology students organised an impressive health camp. They measured their visitors’ blood pressure and gave them health tips. Students from the agriculture department exhibited their wonder “TRICONA 1 Composite Tumbler,” which processes organic manure in just six weeks.

Trinity College Nabbingo headteacher Immaculate Lwanga (second-left), commissioner Juliet Muzoora (third-left) and other educationists listen to a presentation by Ruby Nassali (third-right) on the “Yo-soil” App during the fair. (Credit: Mathias Mazinga)

They also designed a multifunctional agricultural storage facility that keeps grains safe from aflatoxin-producing fungi.

The commissioner for secondary education at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Juliet Atuhaire Muzoora, was among those who graced the fair.

“I am excited to see what the new competence-based curriculum is doing here. I thank the headteacher and your staff, the board and the parents for supporting the implementation of the curriculum.

“The innovations have projected the beauty of the integration of knowledge and skills. Continue rolling out the curriculum to A’level. My daughters, the students, please soar higher and higher to become great ladies of substance,” Atuhaire said.

The headteacher, Immaculate Nassozi Lwanga, assured the commissioner that the school would continue implementing the curriculum with even greater commitment and conviction.

She revealed that TRICONA had just won two competitions; the Science Exhibition hosted by St Mary’s College Kisubi and the Kampala Archdiocese Pro-life Contest, on March 16.

The exhibition ran under the theme: Empowering the Girl-child Holistically Through Innovation For Sustainable Development.

Luganda department students demonstrating the preparation of local dishes. (Credit: Mathias Mazinga)

Other exhibitions

• Home economics department: Students produced strawberry/ vanilla/soya/milk yoghurt, jackfruit jam, pawpaw jam, ginger, Pineapple jam, etc.

• Entrepreneurship department: Students made liquid soap and classroom chalk.

• Savings and investment club: Students made fruit juice.

• Physics department: Students made an oscillating bridge, which allows water and road traffic to flow at the same time.

• History department: Angel Franklin Kirabo, a Senior Four student, used a projector to show how the school’s successive headteachers had carried on the founder’s objective of producing women who are morally upright, academically sound, socially balanced and physically capable.

• Counselling and integrity club: Students presented a skit and a poem on professional ethics and girl-child empowerment. lRed Cross: Students demonstrated the importance of first aid.