BY FIONA MPOFU
A Bulawayo-born chemical engineer will represent Zimbabwe at the Global Peace Summit Dubai 2022 to be held next week.
Dumile Ndlela, founder of Therms Technology, is now based in Algeria said he was determined to put Zimbabwe on the world map at the summit to be held between February 23 and 26.
Ndlela said he established Therms Technology to provide safe heat energy products, which are partly made of recycled rubber or fibres in Zimbabwe and across Southern Africa.
“I am focused on SDG 7, 14 and 16,” Ndlela said.
“I believe peace in Zimbabwe can also be achieved through innovation, which in turn boosts our income, lifestyle and health at a rate of no less than 10,5%,” Ndlela said.
The Global Summit set to run from 23 to 26 of February will gather youth from around the world to take part in community-based activities and peace dialogues in a bid to attain 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.”
Ndlela, who was selected alongside 24 other delegates from 24 countries, is excited to share on the global table the tech solutions that aim to address the surge in teenage pregnancies, independence and positive feminism among the youth in Zimbabwe.
“We have devised a strategy and a clear vision on how l am going to propagate innovation stations especially in rural areas from Victoria Falls to the nation at large, targeting young minds and hearts,” he said.
“We are aiming to empower from the deprived communities.”
Ndlela said he was looking forward to learning and sharing innovations he has used to tackle the Zimbabwean problems at the summit.
“From the impeccable global leaders, l hope to learn and develop my tools and networks in all various categories such as entrepreneurship, technology, inclusiveness, education and leadership skills,” he said.
He recently graduated from an American technology start-up accelerator Y Combinator Winter School of 2019-2020 and has also participated in the World Seedstars programme.
Ndlela was among the top 10 finalists in the Youth Impact Challenge under the 24th Youth Assembly in the Friends Ambassador foundation, which was held in Washington DC.
According to the organisers, the Global Peace Summit “nvisions to build resilience, cultivate the culture of tolerance, inclusivity, interfaith harmony,co-existence,love and social peace building across the border through peace camps in educational institutions, interactive sessions, peace talks with society stakeholders, diplomats, ambassadors, influential community groups,UN officials, religious scholars and community based organization across the globe by empowering Global Peace Ambassadors.”