Building with Purpose: NIT Mechanical Students Turn Innovation into Achievement

By Frieda Jona

At the Namibia Institute of Technology (NIT), mechanical engineering students are redefining what it means to learn by doing. Their end-year projects showcase not only technical skill but also a deep sense of innovation and purpose, reflecting how theory transforms into tangible, real-world solutions.

Recently, Campus Connect (CC) visited the Mechanical Engineering Workshop to witness the students’ final projects firsthand. The atmosphere buzzed with creativity and focus as students demonstrated designs aimed at solving everyday challenges through practical engineering. Among the notable projects was:

Electrical Grill

1. Electrical Grill

Developed by: Oscar Nauyoma, Teofilus Hauwanga, Shooya Hepeni, Ruben Ingo, and Immanuel Hamukwaya

Purpose: designed to provide an energy-efficient and eco-friendly cooking solution. Using controlled electrical heating elements, it reduces power usage while maintaining consistent temperature levels. The team explained that the purpose was to “create a grill that saves energy and offers a safer, cleaner cooking method for homes and small businesses.”

Food Spark Solution

2. Foot Spark Solution

Designed by: Loide Elifas, De Wet Vorster, Myanda Moono, and Elizabeth Ngezi.

Purpose:   generates electricity through human movement. Each step produces kinetic energy that is converted into electrical power. “The more pressure you apply, the greater the output,” Ngezi explained. The purpose of the project is to harness everyday motion to generate renewable energy, making it suitable for high-traffic areas such as shopping malls, campuses, and public walkways.

Buzz Wire Game

3. Buzz Wire Game, also known as a Steady Hand Game

Developed by: Ellis Kauesa and Johanna Kwedhi

Purpose: designed to test hand-eye coordination and concentration. Using a handheld loop, players navigate a bent wire path without making contact; any touch triggers a buzzer, completing the circuit. This interactive setup demonstrates basic electrical principles while promoting focus and motor control, making it ideal for educational outreach and practical assessment.

The students emphasized that NIT has played a crucial role in helping them develop the confidence and creativity needed to tackle complex tasks. “They gave me a task to work on by myself, and then I had to find the solutions I needed to obtain the objectives,” Nathan Willibard shared . That process, they explained, helped them become “more creative and innovative.” 

Kavila Paulus, a second-year mechanical student reflected on how applying his skills in a more demanding, real-world context deepened his understanding: “It gave me a better understanding of not only my course, but the importance I could bring to the industry I aspire to be in.” 

At NIT, achievement is more than a grade, it is a journey of discovery, discipline, and purpose. These student-led projects reflect the heart of mechanical training: not just building machines, but building confidence, character, and community. Campus Connect celebrates these milestones as proof that Namibia’s future is in capable, committed hands.