Kari: There are various challenges we face as human beings, and that is why BIOVATEC seeks to contribute to the development of sustainable and eco-efficient solutions. We do this with a scientific-technological base to promote innovation through projects that tackle environmental problems. We also highlight the opportunities that biotechnology offers us and that new things can be created from very basic or complex problems. This is actually how we developed NoPlastic, one of the main projects at BIOVATEC, with the aim of combating plastic pollution and food waste. We also offer support and collaboration with different sectors to generate social, environmental, and economic benefits.
Lara: Did you know that reports indicate that six out of ten students in developing countries do not reach the minimum levels of scientific literacy? This is true for both public and private schools. And 75% of educators do not feel qualified to teach the skills that the future of work requires (PISA 2018). At Hexar, we believe in creating a high-quality and motivating education, so that every child finds his or her passion and transforms the world through science and knowledge.
Raeed: Mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has accelerated so rapidly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons of waste, out of which only 9% has ever been recycled. It’s estimated that Fiji, a small Pacific Island country with a population of fewer than one million people, produces 168.4 tonnes of plastic waste each day! 136 tonnes of this plastic waste is mismanaged. So in 2019, my friends and I formed Precious Plastic Fiji, a youth-led social enterprise that adopted the principles of a global movement to provide a solution to solve the plastic pollution problem. We apply commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social, and environmental well-being, by turning plastic waste into commercially viable products.
