- Talita
Boodhram designed the first MiDesk in her kitchen using cat litter boxes, - The
MiDesk project is led by Talita and her family, expanding the product to
align with the sustainable development goals and offering a durable,
practical solution for learners. - With
production capabilities of 1,000 desks per day, the company collaborates
with the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation and seeks
corporate sponsorships to donate MiDesks to schools.
What started as a sofa conversation about an age-old problem in the South African education sector has inspired an innovative design for change, breaking the barriers of learning, one school child at a time.
Designing the first MiDesk from cat litter boxes for her Grade 10 science project years ago, Talita Boodhram’s wheelie bag that converts into a desk, chair and school bag with a solar light has reached 4 000 children across the country.
“My dad Minesh and I were both watching the news and we saw a segment on children sitting underneath a tree and writing on their laps and we got to talking.
“We thought: what if they could have their desks with them at all times? So we got to the drawing board, we went and made the first MiDesk in our kitchen out of cat litter boxes and plastic toy spade handles that we put together and that was the first MiDesk,” says Talita.
But while pursuing her degrees in Management Studies and a Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship from the University of Cape Town (UCT), her mother turned Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MiDesk, Farana was hard at work turning the project into reality.
“My mom saw the potential in it and she saw the impact that it could have on a child’s life. So she added the wheelie aspect, she added the solar lights, she made it in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, she made sure that it was a proudly South African product as well,” says Talita.
The organisation is family run with Minesh as Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Talita as Chief Marketing Officer joining CEO mom Farana.
While many have asked why the solution has not been up for sale, the organisation believes that its purpose is to reach the children who need it most.
The Pretoria-based company has the ability to produce 1 000 per day, backed by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation through the Technology Innovation Agency.
The chair can hold a max weight of 180kg and the bag is built to last 12 years – meaning it can grow with a learner.
Jill Johns of the Technology Innovation Agency says the mandate of the agency is to support and stimulate technology innovation for the betterment of South African Lives.
The organisation invites corporate sponsorships to donate to schools with the MiDesks produced and branded in corporate colours.
For more information, visit https://mideskglobal.com/
