Young minds, full of dreams and aspirations, stand resilient in the face of challenges. Despite the social and political hurdles that may arise, their determination to build a better future remains unwavering, as they strive to turn their visions into reality.
32-year-old Mohammad Zaher, from Paktia, currently studying Economics at a private university in the province, says that with limited resources, he managed to build a night-vision camera. His enthusiasm for innovation led him to conduct six years of research and study.
“I researched this matter and was able to build a camera after 18 months that can see up to 100 meters in the dark,” Mohammad Zaher said.
This young man says he did not receive any financial or moral support from anyone to build the camera. Mohammad Zaher describes the features of his night-vision camera, stating, “The camera I built is undetectable, and no one can tell that someone is watching them; so far, I have only built this camera and have not worked on any others.”
Mohammad Zaher adds that despite introducing his invention to the Islamic Emirate’s de-facto officials, he did not receive any support from them.
“Some government organizations contacted me, but when I visited them, they told me that these devices were leftovers from foreigners. I became discouraged, and I, currently, don’t even have any plans for the future. Without encouragement, other young people will become disheartened too,” he expressed.
Mohammad Zaher urges the de-facto government to create opportunities for young people in Afghanistan with big ideas and visions to grow and develop.
Some professors at Kabul Polytechnic University acknowledge that the lack of adequate resources hinders students from bringing their innovative ideas to life.
Mohammad Qasim Qiyam, a professor at the university, says, “Robots or machines that students build require a large amount of money. The resources available for students outside Afghanistan are not available in any Afghan university.”
On the other hand, Sayed Mohsen Sadat, head of the Research and Innovation Department at the Technical and Vocational Education Directorate under the Islamic Emirate, announced plans to launch incentive programs for young Afghan entrepreneurs in the upcoming solar year.
“We will support every idea and invention they have and strive to provide them with the resources they need. We have planned incentive programs for enhancing their capacity in the coming year,” he stressed.
Fostering a culture of innovation and supporting inventive youths in any society, particularly in developing countries, paves the way for job creation, economic growth, and poverty alleviation.
