Arba Minch University (AMU) and Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences’ (HNU) joint venture - Applied Entrepreneurship Education Program (AEEP), has began to peak with its AMU trainees developing various ‘prototypes’ that would be rolled out to test market viability in collaboration with micro-entrepreneurs.
University President, Dr Feleke Woldeyes, Vice President, Dr Agena Anjulo, Institute of Technology’s Scientific Director, Dr Negash Wagesho and others took the round at Bedenna Café, Main Campus where AMU’s AEEP trainees from Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Agriculture, Accounting, Finance & Management departments had put their Computer Numerical Control (CNC), Solar-Ice Cream, Photographic, Hair Saloon, Mobile & Lamp Charging machines and Mobile Theatre. Click the links to see the Pictures and Video.
Dr Feleke being impressed with the machines, said, ‘‘it’s encouraging, but it needs to be pushed further. It’s the window, where we see technology is being assimilated and getting transferred; it’s also important to multiply the knowledge to better human life.’’
CNC machine driven by the technical devices has an attached wooden plank which can carve out an image or photos clicked and uploaded to the linked computer on a wooden plank at an affordable price.
Solar-Ice cream machine has a small wagon with a tiny refrigerator tucked in, carries ice-creams gets power from two solar panels kept on to it. Similarly, Photographic machine in a wagon carries photo printer powered through attached solar panels immediately dispenses the printed bromide at a minimal cost.
Hair Saloon electrified by solar power, offers services like hair cutting, hair straitening, Mobile & Lamp Charging machines are tipped to be hit in the village markets; it would rent the charged lamps to the vegetable vendors and points to charge mobiles on a minimum cost.
Mobile Theatre, which has a huge curtain propped up with a rectangular iron stand on which movies or audio-visual songs or karaoke can be played to the delight of people in Arba Minch. The above developed machines would be put into business at Arba Minch and Laka by the trainees along with some members from the Town Micro-Entrepreneurs.
Visibly happy, both HNU and AMU project coordinators, Mr Phillip and Mr Nathanael Chuta, said, though we faced challenges that have ultimately toughened us to be more resolute towards our goal. For us, it’s a pilot project, having achieving this task, implementation phase comes back on its heel.
In May 2014, for four weeks, 5-member team from HNU, Germany, gave comprehensive orientation to the trainees and AMU lecturers and finally after arduous work, they could develop wonderful solar-driven machines, which are cost-effective and would prove to be beneficial for the entrepreneurs. Besides the display of four prototypes, further businesses will start soon, Mr Phillip Travers added.
Trainees from Electrical department Abel Anteneh, Aschalew and Alazar are very excited about their photographic machine; they are waiting to see its success. Students Muluken and Brook from Mechanical Engineering department who developed CNC machines faced some challenges like they had to manufactures drillers of different types that are not available in the market.
Diminutive girl Bethelam Getachew and Sindu are proud owner of Ice-Cream machines. Bethelam is confident of making ice-cream on their own which she feels can be lapped up by the hungry customers around Arba Minch town.
Finally, all trainees attribute the success of their achievements to Nathanael Chuta, Project Coordinator from Electrical and Computer Engineering department. AEEP project is funded the German Ministry of Cooperation & Development and carried out by Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) - German Academic Exchange Service.
By Philips Joseph