Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has been growing in Brazil since 2014 by providing diverse programs such as webinars, workshops, and mentorships to help students achieve their goals through various STEM initiatives and projects.

This year, a particular group of three students in Franca, São Paulo has risen among the 10 finalists. The students created a prototype to remove pesticides and other residues from agriculturally contaminated water in local areas. Check out their journey.

Making water safe for consumption

The idea for the prototype came about when Henrique, biology teacher and team advisor, provoked the students’ curiosity about the increasing use of pesticides in coffee plantations. As pesticides relate to damage on the ecosystem, pollution of water, and risk to animals, the students saw an environmental problem.

The team proposed to filter contaminated water using Macaúba fruits, which are very common in the region, hence the project name, ‘Macafiltro.’ “Water normally goes straight to the water tank of rural homes without a treatment network, so the intention of this project is to treat the water before it reaches houses by attaching a filter to the pipes that supply them.”

Changing reality through creativity

For Henrique, mentoring is a way of getting the students to work from other perspectives. “We know that the mentor’s role is to show the way, but the students’ project is theirs and no one will do it for them. Participating in programs like this can be difficult, but it motivates everyone, including us teachers.”

Anna Karina Pinto, Director of Corporate Marketing at Samsung Brazil, said, “We are delighted to see how Solve for Tomorrow has contributed to an improvement in people’s quality of life. It is inspiring how the knowledge and creativity of these students can bring more security to the local population.”