Thajna Sewparsad carried the South African flag high when she received a trophy and a gold medal from the Head of the Netherlands Department of Education at the Inespo held in Amsterdam.

There were about 400 participants from every continent of the globe.

The Eskom Expo entrant was selected to take part in the Inespo awards. At the Eskom Expo held in Boksburg last year she won a special award from the Mining Association of South Africa. A gold medal plus a plaque for best project in her category and a scholarship to study at Rhodes University after Grade 12 paved the way for higher achievement at INESPO in Amsterdam.
Whilst in the Netherlands Thajna visited the SA Embassy and shared over an hour chatting with our ambassador, Bruce Koloane. Over 400 projects were short-listed into a final 10 with Thajna winning gold in her category. Thajna wishes to pursue a career either as a mining engineer or chemical engineer.

She was saluted by Uthukela District Mayor Dudu Mazibuko for her achievement. The announcement was splashed all over Facebook.

The official press release from Eskom Expo for Young Scientists confirming Thajna’s astounding feat.

Young SA Scientists achieve on world stage

For thirty five years, the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists has been at the forefront of unearthing the country’s most innovative and talented science minds across South Africa’s rural and urban areas.
This premier science exposition is open to primary and high school learners and prize winners at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair held in Johannesburg receive laptops, mobile science kits, university bursaries and some even get the opportunity to participate in prestigious international science fairs.
The Eskom Expo, which is a national initiative endorsed by the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Basic Education, is an ideal platform and opportunity for learners to share their bright ideas with peers and judges, and are assessed according to internationally accepted ethics and standards. Last year saw over 824 participants at International finals from a total of over 50 000 participants nationally.
Four students from the Northern KZN region did exceptionally well in the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair in 2014 and were therefore selected for the honour of representing South Africa. Grade 8 learners, Neelan Gouden and Thajna Sewparsad, grade 10 learner, Nishka Ramkhelawan and grade 11 learner, Mthembu Nondumiso were all selected to represent South Africa at various international science fairs.
The most recent science fair, INESPO held in Amsterdam from 25-29 May 2015, saw all 3 South African learners walk away with top honours. Mieke Lagendyk of Welkom and Carissa Viljoen of Bethlehem received second awards and Thajna Sewparsad of Ladysmith received a first award.
The learners looked forward to meeting people from all over the world, learning about their cultures and seeing what they have created. However, our learners’ experience did not just dwell on the social aspects of their international interactions, but they went on to compete with the best in the world and win.
“The performance of South African learners at the recent INESPO competition confirms that South Africa has some of the brightest learners in the world in our schools. It is opportunities like the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists that allows this scientific talent to flourish and be recognised in South Africa and on the world stage”, says Parthy Chetty, Executive Director, Eskom Expo for Young Scientists.

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