Protected: Salma, Enterprise Business Challenge

Sixteen-year-old Salma’s concept of harnessing energy from bicycles has already won awards in her home country of Jordan, showing that youth is no barrier to innovation.

When Salma and her teammates took part our Enterprise Business Challenge, a national youth entrepreneurship competition, they won best product and best presentation for their idea of using kinetic energy to charge cell phones and other batteries.

Salma has since gone on to win the 2023 The King’s Trust Group regional sustainability award for the Middle East and North Africa, which she collected at a presentation event in Jordan in December this year.

‘Receiving the regional prize not only represents a personal triumph for me, but also for the combined efforts of my team and school,’ Salma explains. ‘It emphasizes the success of our teamwork and the significance of our project for the area.’

Energy and exercise

Salma’s team’s concept involves eco-friendly bicycle accessories which transform airflow into energy as the bike moves. Their prototype design idea sees air drive a turbine which powers a generator equipped with USB ports.

‘Our mission is to inspire people to live a better lifestyle and improve their overall feeling of wellbeing by producing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient bikes,’ explains Salma. ‘Furthermore, [we want] to help and develop our community by replacing non-renewable energy with renewable resources.’

Built around an annual inter-school competition, Enterprise Business Challenge, delivered in Jordan by our partner INJAZ, aims to inspire and upskill the next generation of entrepreneurs.  After honing their business skills, finalist teams design, develop and pitch their own business ideas, focusing on enterprises with a positive environmental impact as well as profit-making potential.

Salma explains that their business idea, E-F bikes, tackles two problems simultaneously – the widespread use of non-renewable energy and unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles. Her company’s products would make it easy for people to switch to greener energy for a routine everyday use – charging phones – and would also promote healthier lifestyles by encouraging bicycle use.

Skills for success

Salma recalls that the programme developed her team’s research and communication skills in particular, especially technical research around the design, approach and materials needed for their product. She also stresses its impact on her leadership and teamwork abilities.

‘My participation in EBC has improved my leadership skills, promoted productive teamwork, and given me priceless project management experience, all of which have contributed to my personal growth,’ she explains. ‘It has been crucial in helping me acquire vital abilities that will help me in my future endeavours.’

Young people will be most affected by the climate crisis, but Salma is facing this challenge with optimism and creativity. Although still a school student, Salma has already generated and presented a pioneering entrepreneurial idea that could help solve a pressing environmental problem. Salma explains how winning the regional sustainability award has reinforced her interest in environmental issues, and will, she hopes, help open doors for her in future.

‘It shows that a bigger audience has taken notice of and appreciated my efforts, which gives me more confidence and inspires me to keep pursuing my interests,’ she says. ‘This acknowledgment has the potential to open up new doors for opportunities that will considerably advance my academic and professional careers, such as scholarships, internships, or future partnerships.’