February 20, 2023
By Vinitha Murukesan
Programme Coordinator, Water & Sanitation
Collaboratively conducted by the United Nations and Startup Tamil Nadu, the TN Sustainable Development Goals Girls Championship invited 20 colleges in Tiruppur, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore and Nilgiris to propose their best pitches for achieving a chosen SDG. The jury panel included representatives from three institutes – Sujani Balu, an Apex committee member from the nonprofit Siruthuli, Bezaleel Johnson, the CSR project lead of Bosch Coimbatore, and myself from Keystone. The event was held at Kumaruguru College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, with the support of the Sustainable Development Hub at the Stella Maris College, Chennai, which would be hosting the state-wide championship, featuring winners from the districts.
The 20 participating teams (groups of two to three female students guided by a faculty member) were asked to pick one SDG and come up with a detailed pitch for a solution. Two groups were chosen to proceed to the Chennai championship, where the final winner would be awarded with a cash prize and customised support for developing their idea into a startup.
The two groups we chose at the zonal championship were quite impressive – the first group addressed SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production. Their business idea was an app that would aid people in upcycling textile waste. The second group addressed the second SDG, to End World Hunger and Achieve Food Security. They proposed the promotion of processed millet products (roasted millet flakes) to replace less nutritious cereals in the market. The panel of judges agreed that they had well-researched pitches, with extensive surveys, and had a deep understanding of background information on SDGs.
We look forward to seeing the wealth of ideas from young minds at the Chennai championship, which will be held at the end of February.
