{"id":2964,"date":"2021-09-06T09:27:03","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T09:27:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/lesotho\/all-news\/dr-nkhabutlane-makes-lesotho-proud"},"modified":"2021-09-06T09:27:03","modified_gmt":"2021-09-06T09:27:03","slug":"dr-nkhabutlane-makes-lesotho-proud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/lesotho\/all-news\/dr-nkhabutlane-makes-lesotho-proud","title":{"rendered":"Dr Nkhabutlane makes Lesotho proud!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press<\/a> – Lesotho<\/a>. <\/strong><\/span>THERE were 60 competitors \u2014 from esteemed institutions all over Africa in Round 1, in a competition called \u201cInnovation in Action\u201d that was held in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n

In Round 2, only 20 competitors remained. In Round 3, only 10 competitors remained. In Round 4, only Dr Pulane Nkhabutlane from the National University of Lesotho (NUL) Innovation Hub remained.<\/p>\n

She won because of her amazing work in the development of innovative sorghum food products. She was the last one standing \u2014 behind the backdrop of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n

In No 2 was Professor Darelle Van Greunen from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in South Africa and in No 3 was Henry Ngale Foretia of Afrika Business Group from Cameroon. Dr Nkhabutlane\u2019s submission was labelled \u201cthe most innovative solution\u201d.<\/p>\n

She was given the award by Professor Amon Murwira, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development in Zimbabwe and Dr Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).<\/p>\n

Imagine yourself attending the conference in Victoria Falls organised by the UNECA. And then imagine listening to this winning three-minute pitch by the Doctor from the Mountain Kingdom being delivered in a soft but confident voice.<\/p>\n

We won\u2019t repeat it verbatim (word for word) but we will give you an idea of what she said \u2013 at least we will try. \u201cGood evening Ladies and Gentlemen. I would like to introduce you briefly to a country where I come from, Lesotho.<\/p>\n

It is a country lacking in industrial activity. We buy almost all our consumer products from South Africa. Yes, we spend all our money outside the country.<\/p>\n

\u201d
\n\u201cThis, unfortunately, is contributing to a high unemployment rate among the youth and, of course \u2014 poverty \u2014 because, yes, because, we don\u2019t hold on to our money. I come from the National University of Lesotho Innovation Hub, an institution that is trying to change all that.<\/p>\n

In there, we develop consumer products and services from laboratory level, we incubate them as businesses, we accelerate them and we are pushing them to industrial parks, finally.<\/p>\n

\u201d
\n\u201cWithin the NUL Innovation Hub, I specifically come from the two companies, Bohlale and Bohlokoa.<\/p>\n

The two produce superfoods. The companies are based on production and sales of sorghum-based food products. Sorghum is underutilized in the country. But out of it, we make super-foods that are tasty, nutritious and convenient.<\/p>\n

And our raw-material suppliers are local, because local is lekker. \u201d
\n\u201cOur two businesses have already created jobs and they are owned by young, passionate female leaders.<\/p>\n

Demand remains high for our products, and supply is low, so potential is huge. \u201d
\n\u201cI would like to wrap up by telling you something. The National University of Lesotho, the university from which I come, is transforming at the core.<\/p>\n

Its newfound emphasis on innovation is a huge part of it. Yes, we are slowly turning science into business, and NUL into an entrepreneurial university. We, Bohlale and Bohlokoa, just happen to be a small, almost insignificant, part of this magnificent transformation. \u201d
\n\u201cThank you for your attention.<\/p>\n

\u201d
\nWell, if you were among the judges, who would you have given the trophy to?
\nAlthough we didn\u2019t hear the other nine pitches, it is clear, by listening to this one, that they would be no match.<\/p>\n

Dr Pulane would be hard to beat not only because of her eloquence in delivery but also on account of the profound issues raised. Who could beat her track record?
\nDr Nkhabutlane could have decided to start and end her pitch with details of her sorghum products and how they were so healthy.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t. She chose to portray her work as happening within a far larger ecosystem \u2014 an ecosystem that was created to address a profound challenge of joblessness in Lesotho.<\/p>\n

She guessed what the judges were looking for and she gave them exactly that. Of course the pitch was not the only thing upon which she was judged. There were writings and even a video. However, the pitch, given in a humble eloquence, was the last nail on the coffin.<\/p>\n

Dr Nkhabutlane took up a trophy in a massive international event called \u201cAfrican Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Forum on 2020-2030: A Decade to Deliver a Transformed and Prosperous Africa through the Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063.<\/p>\n

\u201d
\nIt was a conference with a long name. And the list of its guests was just as long, with Science Ministers from all over Africa, among others, attending.<\/p>\n

But the Pitch competition which Dr Pulane Nkhabutlane attended \u2014 and won \u2014 was the climax of the event. The competition was dubbed \u201cInnovation in Action.<\/p>\n

\u201d
\nAs organisers put it, \u201cit was designed to showcase both technological and non-technological innovations that are contributing to the attainment of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.<\/p>\n

\u201d
\nWhy did she win?
\n\u201cI am part of a dedicated but silent team of NUL scholars called NULRIC (NUL Research and Innovations Committee),\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a team that is charged to drive the university\u2019s innovation agenda.<\/p>\n

\u201d
\n\u201cAlthough I practised well for this pitch, I credit the training and insights I got from working with that team for winning.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Lesotho. THERE were 60 competitors \u2014 from esteemed institutions all over Africa in Round 1, in a competition called \u201cInnovation in Action\u201d that was held in Zimbabwe. In Round 2, only 20 competitors remained. In Round 3, only 10 competitors remained. In Round 4, only Dr Pulane Nkhabutlane from the National University of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2963,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5,6,8,16],"tags":[233,246,408,245],"class_list":["post-2964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-economy","category-files","category-homepage-english","category-twitter","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-lesotho","tag-dr-nkhabutlane","tag-lesotho"],"yoast_head":"\nDr Nkhabutlane makes Lesotho proud! - Lesotho<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/lesotho\/all-news\/dr-nkhabutlane-makes-lesotho-proud\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dr Nkhabutlane makes Lesotho proud!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Africa-Press – Lesotho. THERE were 60 competitors \u2014 from esteemed institutions all over Africa in Round 1, in a competition called \u201cInnovation in Action\u201d that was held in Zimbabwe. In Round 2, only 20 competitors remained. In Round 3, only 10 competitors remained. 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