Elia Mkongwa, the Archimedes of Njombe

At the age of 23 and only armed with a certificate in electrical installation and another in mechanics, Elia Mkongwa, a resident of Kambarage area in Njombe region has invented various machines that have made a difference in the lives of the people in Njombe.

He for example has designed and made a machine to simplify farm work , where it takes only half an hour for one person to plant seeds on a five-acre farm, work that would be done by more people on much more days without the machine.

The second born in a family of five children has also invented a solar powered incubator with the ability to hatch 200 eggs at a go. The incubator uses both solar power and kerosene. He has made 11 incubators so far, which are functioning very well.

The young innovator’s work was in 2015 recognised miles away in Nairobi, Kenya where he clinched the Best Innovator Award during a youth mechanics talent search organised by Nairobi-based Youth Talent Centre. Elia demonstrated a car fitted with a 2,000 litres water tank which he designed using a motorcycle engine. He invented the car for water supply in areas with water shortage.

“This car was made out of a motorcycle engine and gear box, which has automobile power that enables it to move. Apart from water, the car can also carry four passengers and its fuel consumption is low,” Elia told Sound Living.

Elia did not solely obtain his skills from the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology where he obtained the certificate in electrical installation or at Vocational Education Training Authority where he did his mechanical maintenance training. The young man had been tagged as a ‘young innovator’ since his primary years at Usita Primary School in Njombe.

He had keen interest in the repair of appliances such that he did wonders at such a young age. When he was in Standard Six, Elia used a bicycle dynamo and radio motors to make a power-generating auto-electric-machine and since his first design, he did not stop experimenting in making different electric appliances.

The first machine he made came in handy when Elia’s class were preparing for their final Standard Seven exams in 2007. His innovation helped with lighting as they camped at school for final preparations.

A blessing for farmers

“I made invertors, amplifiers and I also used to install satellite dishes and make some money. When I was in secondary school, I invented solar cookers, bio gas machine and equipment and a whole range of music systems,” a proud Elia says.

Elia says he installed up to 92 satellite dishes at a number of houses in Njombe district, a job he had already mastered at the age of 12. He recalls how people used to wonder if he could manage to do the job given his young age.

“During that time I used to fix different appliances, including amplifiers, light and electrical systems,” says Elia.

Farmers in Njombe have benefitted tremendously from Elia’s innovations. He has designed various farm implements that help simplify their work such as planting, fertiliser application, weeding and harvesting. Using Elia’s machines, all these are accomplished in a shorter time. This saves farmers not only time but also money to hire workers.

The planting plough is the most selling according to Elia. The cost of the farm implements which Elia says are affordable ranges from Sh 300,000 to Sh700,000.

Elia has also made vegetable cutting machines of different sizes for home use. He has so far sold only three of these and says the market is promising as a lot of people have shown interest in the machines. The machines can be used in hotels and restaurants too.

With the money Elia generates from his innovations, he has been able to buy more materials to make more and better inventions. Likewise, the money enabled him to purchase a computer and other equipment to enhance his techno skills.

Although the market for his products is good, at the moment Elia only produces after receiving a customer order given that capital to produce to stock is a challenge.

In 2006, after Elia finished working on one of his machines, his father was so impressed that he promised to find him a journalist to write his story. He wanted to share his son’s success with the world in the hope that his story would attract sponsorship to develop his skills. Elia’s father, Mr Mkongwa believes with support, his son can do wonders.

Unfortunately this did not happen as father and son thought it would require money to have his story in a newspaper.

After completing secondary education at Ulembwe Secondary School, Elia joined Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology where he pursued a certificate in electrical installation and simultaneously attended Vocational Education Training (Veta) for a mechanics course.

Not a smooth ride

It is at Veta where he met Engineer John Mchau who was later to introduce him to the Nairobi talent search competition. Elia had explained to him about his project ideas, including one on building a wind powered machine to help curb energy woes.

“After explaining my idea to him, he promised to help me start the project but it didn’t work out as he travelled abroad,” says Elia.

Elia didn’t lose hope but went ahead and made a motor for pumping water using wind power, which benefitted the people of Mgololo in Iringa region’s Mufindi district.

It is Engineer Mchau who in 2015 advised Elia to showcase his work in Nairobi where he sent his idea of making a car, which would be fitted with a tank for supplying water using a motorcycle engine. Eng Mchau facilitated the process which saw Elia present his project idea in Nairobi. The effort paid off as he received an award, representing Tanzania.

Elia sites lack of capital as a major challenge towards progress. This he says hampers efforts to make ideas become a reality in because all the projects require money. He is however grateful to his family and relatives who he says have been his motivation all along.

“Without money, it is difficult marketing your products because you need to move around to exhibit your work. Lack of sponsors who actually believe and understand your projects is another challenge,” he says.

Elia is disappointed that despite approaching different people including politicians for support, none has shown interest so far. Lack of support however, does not stop him from continuing with his creations. Elia plans to establish a small industry where his projects will become a reality, in support of President Magufuli’s efforts to make Tanzania an industrialised country.

A call to the government

“I have so many ideas and models that I plan to implement to make loads of work easy for business owners and everyone. I would like to design a special wedding car in the form of an airplane for example. This will be able to fly and land just like a plane. It will also have many special facilities for the bride and groom.”

Elia plans to make a chips preparing machine that will simplify work in the kitchen. The ambitious young man’s list of ideas to simplify life in every sector is long. But for all this to become a reality, he says he needs a helping hand for he cannot achieve his plans without capital. And this is what he is currently struggling to get.

Elia thinks the government should think of how to back up upcoming innovators like him.

“In Tanzania we need to adopt technology from other countries and this can be a milestone in the industrialisation drive. We should stop importing every item from outside as a way of boosting internal market,” he advises.

He adds; “We have talent within and what we need is to accept the machines that are home-made, just the confidence and belief in our own people is lacking,” Elia stresses.

“When we have small industries here, we can manufacture spare parts for big industries. Our talented engineers can also use the ‘transfer of technology phenomenon’ to create our own industries. This is possible,” says Elia.

Elia calls on the government to put more effort in supporting professionals, artisans and engineers if it is at all serious in industrialising the country.

Email: djohn@tz. nationmedia.com