Students from 14 schools pitched their social innovation ideas at the National Innovation Challenge, last Thursday in Thimphu to win funding to scale up their ideas.
The National Innovation Challenge 2024 concluded last Friday with Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School in Thimphu and Khamdang Lower Secondary School from Trashi Yangtse as the ultimate champions in the respective senior and junior categories.
Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School’s ‘Biomulchifier,’ a machine to recycle food waste and Khamdang Lower Secondary School’s ‘Jamnying Pici,’ a pencil made out of paper waste won the seed budget of Nu. 120,000 each to further develop and implement the innovation pitched at the competition.
The competition also awarded seed money ranging from Nu.50,000 to 80,000 to four winners in the senior and junior categories.
To empower young minds to find innovative solutions to problems in their communities, UPSHIFT Bhutan successfully coordinated the 2nd National Innovation Challenge in collaboration with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Skills Development supported by Loden Foundation and Bhutan Youth Development Fund.
Among notable innovations, Genekha Primary School, Thimphu, securing third place, developed an electronic sound system to alert farmers of wildlife intrusion into their fields. Motithang Higher Secondary School, Thimphu, also placed third with their Smart Agriculture project, using sensors to enhance farming efficiency.
UPSHIFT is a youth social innovation and social entrepreneurship programme, an adaptable and scalable approach that supports the development of skills for life and livelihood and supports youth to positively engage with their local communities as Change-makers.
Minister of Education, Yeezang De Thapa graced the closing day of the event.
Thanks to all our UPSHIFTers, school principals, focal teachers, and task team for your enthusiastic contributions. 
