“The benefit is immense”: A conversation on mentoring for the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge

Mentoring plays a pivotal role in the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge, offering invaluable guidance as students navigate real-world problems throughout the Challenge process. Dr. Omileye Toyobo, Senior Analyst at Clinton Health Access, shared with Efficiency for Access his experiences as a mentor, emphasising the profound impact mentorship has on students to help foster innovation and boost their skills development during the Challenge. He also offers his advice to the next generation of changemakers involved in the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge.

How did you first get involved as a mentor for students taking part in the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge?

“Mentoring for the Challenge was recommended by a former boss of mine who participated a while back. He had transitioned out of the team, so I had taken over some of the roles that he was leading. He thought I would be a good fit to mentor students. I had completed some work with members of the Efficiency for Access team, so I was also familiar with some of the work. For me, just seemed like a natural place to apply myself and support the next generation.”

In your experience, how do students benefit from having a mentor during the Challenge?

“The benefit is immense. If I think back to when I was trying to figure out my career and ideas, sometimes just having someone who can demystify things for you in this space is helpful; having a mentor or coach that can steer you in the right direction and help you understand real world challenges. We, as mentors who’ve had to work hard to go through our own journey, have more practical experiences… and I think students can benefit from this wisdom and the lessons we’ve learned in this space.

“We can distil that down and simplify it for students to understand and help them rationalise, because sometimes they don’t fully understand how their solutions might have a rewarding impact. So, showing them directly how the ideas they have as small as it might seem actually has an impact on a broader global objectives.”

What skills have you seen them develop most commonly throughout the process?

“There’s so much to learn, but I think the three things that take away is: real world experiences, lessons learned, and skills development. Being able to facilitate skills development is important to the students. When you look at the way the Challenge is structured, students must think of the product they have [for the market]. There are certain skills you need to build, like how to articulate your ideas, how to communicate, how to present to and engage with an audience, and how to put the right level of detail on paper. They need to be able to make their work competitive. I think it helps them build skills and we as mentors can actually show them shortcuts or ropes to help them build those skills faster.”

What unique innovations have you encountered in your time as a mentor?

“I think that the ones close to my heart have been the vaccines-related innovations, because that’s the space I used to work in. Solar powered refrigeration systems for medicines I think for me are always unique because I come from Africa where getting drugs and lifesaving treatment to people is a big logistical nightmare, but there’s also energy poverty.

“In the Agri space, there was a team of students that put together a solar powered machine [that helped] separate corn cobs on the shaft and then they could sell the corn on to people, but also sell the shaft for animal feed. I like technology that can do multiple things, so the value proposition is not only really great, but it also has broader impact for communities.”

What advice do you typically give to students as they navigate the design process, particularly when faced with challenges or setbacks?

“If I were to be in their shoes, two things would stand out. Having a positive mindset when you’re engaging with a challenge is crucial because that that drives the end product. What you try to achieve in life comes with its own set of challenges. Having a positive mindset and a willingness to learn and think outside of the box helps you adjust and adapt to challenges. For example, in my personal life, I’m a dentist originally; I fell into this space by accident and anytime a challenge came at me, asking myself ‘how can I transition from the clinical side to the global health and technology side?’ I just thought about how I want to learn, I want to save lives, I want to contribute impact, and that kept me motivated to succeed. I studied more and I made the right connections, met the right mentors, I took the right courses because I saw every challenge as an opportunity to rise and grow myself.”

How important is it for participants to ask for help when they need it?

“Very important. People sometimes feel like they must do everything themselves. There’s a lot of resource out there, and there are a lot of people who have knowledge and skills. You can always reach out to someone, ask questions, and learn to grow. You might find someone who has faced a similar challenge that you can coordinate with or rationalise around. You might find someone who has a solution on an idea for a challenge that you might have faced, but if you sit in your silo and you just try to do it all by yourself, you might struggle.”

What has been the most rewarding aspects of mentoring students in the Challenge?

“I’ve been quite jealous actually! When I was at uni, these programmes did not exist. I think the most rewarding thing is seeing that these opportunities exist and the variety of students that have come through it. I’ve seen students from Asia, from Africa, from different technical colleges, students from many different backgrounds… So, it’s very warming to see that there’s a population that is a consciousness of young people in the world who actually want to get involved in solving the world’s challenges head on.

“I’ve also had the ability to meet other mentors, make new connections and learn about fields that traditionally I wouldn’t have considered. I work in the medical and global health space, but I’ve seen designs for agriculture, designs for education… I’ve seen designs that also help the environment. Mentoring has helped to broaden my horizon because I’ve now been exposed to new things and new innovations that I otherwise might have been oblivious to.”

What would you say to other professionals considering becoming a mentor on the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge?

“I’d just say come ready to give yourself and come ready to be inspired. I typically get inspired by younger generations because you know they’re coming with new ways of thinking. They’re pushing boundaries in a way that might have been disruptive in our time. Come ready to share experiences, to enjoy the process, to be open to learn and have fun, because it is always fun to see the new tips and tricks.”

Want to become a mentor for the Challenge?

As part of the Challenge, we are looking for professionals in the off-grid solar appliance sector who can guide our student teams with their industry knowledge. You will help to inspire innovative ideas and steer the design developments to success.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, we’d love to hear from you! Email us on EforAchallenge@est.org.uk to find out more.

Efficiency for Access and Engineers Without Borders UK are delighted to collaborate on the delivery of the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge. The Challenge is funded by UK aid from the UK government via the Transforming Energy Access platform and the IKEA Foundation.