(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) It will also include a feature that allows people to donate their surplus food to the needy. Three students of Pristine Private School in Dubai are working on an app to reduce food waste in the UAE.
The FoodAge App is the winning project of the first edition ofTaqaddam UAE School Level Competition,launchedlast March across 12 schools with 240 participating students in UAE.
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited and the British Council launched the 7-week programme in 60 other schools across the region, reaching 1,200 students, to help equip young people with soft skillsand support the development of life skills in 15-16 year olds.
Now both organizations are supporting the UAE winning students to bring their app to reality, where HSBC is offering logistical anddigitalsupport by providing access to Synechroninnovation labs and helping students network.
FoodAge App-extracted from the phrase food wastage- will allow users to keep track of food stocks,expiry dates andprovide tips on right methods to preserve food items. It will also include afeature that allowspeople to donate their surplus food to the needy.
"We wanted todevelop a project that solves a prominentproblem in the community. We foundthe food waste is a common issue because manypeople find it hard to sustain their own food,"said 11th grader James Cyrus who's developing the app along with his classmates Mohsin Biswas and Zachariah Leon.
Previous studies have revealed that GCC countries were among the world's top generators of food waste. According to estimates by Dubai Municipality, food waste in the UAE comprises 39 per cent of an average household's organic waste. This ratio increases to roughly 55 per cent, or 1,850 tonnes, during the holy month of Ramadan.
Throughthe app, userswillbe able to register their food product by scanning their barcode, and once the product has been scanned, there would be constant reminders to shownutritional value and itsexpiry date.
Team member Biswas added that the goal is to spread the app among the youth and make it a global volunteering program on the long term.
The Taqaddam course provided face-to-face workshops for teachers, helping to develop their capacity as educators in the area of core skills, followed by an online assessment for students and subsequent development courses delivered by trained teachers.
Melanie Relton, regional project manager further education and vocational training at the British Council, said the idea was to encourage young people to tackle a global problem by presenting a thorough idea and prepare them for an ever-changing job market.
"In the future environment, the top 10 jobs sought after will not be in existence. We wanted to see how are educators preparing students for dying careers or jobs that don't exist yet. The program aimed at giving students the skills of becoming lifelong learners and self-starters with high bridge data," said Relton, noting the huge potential of untapped talent.
Sabrin Rahman, Head of Corporate Sustainability at HSBC, said through working with the team, students will gain practical experience and understanding of the business process of developing an idea. "Now they can put their skills gained through the program into develop a tangible project and understand how much work it takes," said Rahman.
She added that lack of skills in tackling complex areas of work is a common problem, and through the program, both organizations are looking to develop these skills from early on.
Shagufa Kidwai, Prinicipal of Pristine Private School, said "We feel that the project was in line with our school's vision. This has provided a remarkable opportunity for our students to have their dream turned into reality."
Sherouk Zakaria
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