DUBAI // A 9-year-old from the UAE has defied the odds and proved age is no barrier to creativity by winning a design award from car manufacturers Toyota.
Pakistani schoolgirl Minhal Adnan Sami won the Engineering Inspiration Award for her Ecofix Car, a vehicle that runs on fruit and vegetable compost and can reuse the compost to grow food in villages and rural areas.
Minhal’s design was selected ahead of more than 1,000 other entrants from the UAE, and is now shortlisted. A total of 875,000 global submissions from 81 countries compete for the grand prize.
Saud Abbasi, managing director of Al Futtaim Motors, which hosted the UAE competition, said: “Minhal’s entry was a very strong one, getting not only shortlisted for the competition in Japan but also becoming the inaugural winner of the brand new Engineering Inspiration Award category.
“Our young artists had some fantastic efforts that addressed societal issues and sustainable eco-vehicles to keep our planet green.”
Her creation was brought to life by Toyota’s Prototype Production Division, which developed a 3D clay model to be exhibited at Toyota facilities throughout Japan for the next year.
Explaining her design, Minhal, who attends the Emirates International School in Jumeirah, said: “Poor people get coins when they put the daily fruits and vegetable compost in the fuel tank. This car separates seeds from the compost, dries them and throws them on the grass so that new plants can grow. This car also preserves rain water to water the plants from the tailpipe. This car is helping the environment and people and also spreading peace to all.”
Winning entries selected in each country will be entered into the world contest. Gold, silver, bronze and special award winners will be selected across the three age categories with an awards ceremony scheduled for August next year.
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