Empowering South Africa’s Future Innovators through the Sasol Solar Challenge Education Programme

The Sasol Solar Challenge (SSC) has always championed education alongside its journey to showcase sustainable energy and mobility. This year, however, the SSC education programme expanded its reach and influence, making a more significant impact than ever before. Engaging over 5,700 learners across South Africa, the 2024 programme reached some of the country’s most remote and rural communities, where opportunities to explore STEM subjects are often limited.

This expanded programme, delivered in partnership with Microbotics, used the captivating solar vehicles as a gateway to STEM subjects, sparking interest and curiosity. The SSC was committed to ensuring that, beyond the exciting solar technology on display, learners would experience hands-on activities that stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving. “We believe this is an essential part of the challenge as it promotes critical thinking and problem solving in a fun and interactive way,” said the Microbotics team, who were thrilled to work with SSC to bring this mission to life.

In addition to live demonstrations, the SSC education programme left a lasting educational legacy by distributing electronic kits, sponsored by the Sasol Foundation, to teachers in each community along the route. These kits enable continued learning in electronics and robotics, paving the way for a future generation of young innovators who will grow their STEM skills and discover their potential to create solutions for a sustainable world. “Our goal was to build confidence in the learners so they can believe they have the ability to be innovative and better the community around them,” noted the Microbotics team.

The 2024 SSC education programme reached vast areas, including some of South Africa’s most isolated communities, offering a unique opportunity for students who might not otherwise have had access to STEM education resources. This effort embodies the SSC’s mission to make STEM accessible, engaging, and relevant for learners across South Africa. As Microbotics shared, “Through this initiative, we hope to equip learners to be the next generation of innovators and problem solvers in the field of sustainability.”

In every town and school, it reached, the SSC education programme left behind a spark of curiosity, a confidence to explore, and a toolkit for the future. The 2024 Sasol Solar Challenge demonstrated that, with the right encouragement and resources, the next generation of innovators and leaders is ready to take on the challenges of a sustainable future.

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