KOCHI: Water surrounds them on all sides. However, natural barriers failed to stop a group of kids from Lakshadweep from gaining international recognition. What makes their success even sweeter is the fact they did so while representing India.
Five Plus Two students from Dr K K Mohammed Koya Govt Senior Secondary School in Kalpeni bagged a gold medal by presenting their path-breaking project at the International Young Scientist Innovation Exhibition (IYSIE) held in Malaysia.
According to Naseema K, the students’ project had a whiff of their homeland. “Lakshadweep is a group of islands and the only thing we are wealthy in is seafood and coconuts. So, we wanted our project to be something that would prove to be beneficial for our islands in the long run,” she said. So the team held discussions with the Agriculture Department on the island and decided to develop an organic manure.
“The aim was to start a green revolution while decimating the burgeoning fish waste problem. So, the students developed a manure using jaggery from coconut palms and fish waste. The result was a wholesome fertiliser for the plants. Since it was in liquid form, its application and storage too were easy,” said the teacher.
She said Lakshadweep islands have to depend upon the mainland for fresh vegetables and fruits. “We wanted to grow chemical-free vegetables right here on the island and have achieved success in it. The vegetables for our school’s mid-day meal scheme come from the garden on our compound,” said Naseema. The team believes they will be able to initiate a revolution of sorts through their organic manure.
“We want to establish a manufacturing unit that will employ differently-abled people. This will not only help them earn a living and make them financially independent, but also solve our waste problem,” she said.
The students took part in the project competition organised by the National Children’s Science Congress in the island-level. “The team, comprising four girls and a boy (Nasreena Nazeer, Galiya Jaleel M P, Nidha Shaik M, Shakira K P and Dhanish Akther), came first and went on to the UP-level. The kids came first there too,” said Naseema.