From apps tackling cyberbullying and traffic congestion to devices managing electronic waste, the final day of the UPSHIFT Bootcamp brimmed with creative ideas. 20 high school students pitched innovative solutions to real-world problems during the three-day camp, which concluded yesterday.
After training, Young Volunteers In Action (Y-VIA) presented ideas addressing issues such as cyberbullying, e-learning access, e-waste management, traffic congestion, and public bus services.
Among the ideas was ‘Tech Turn’, an innovative monitoring device built using components from discarded electronics.
Tech Turn offers a dual-purpose solution: reducing electronic waste while supporting environmental protection and disaster monitoring.
The device, once installed on trees, will be able detect excessive vibrations or heat.
The team explained that limited vibrations could indicate illegal logging, while widespread vibrations might signal an earthquake. Similarly, high temperatures detected by multiple devices could alert authorities to forest fires early, with signals sent directly to a central control room.
“Our first solution is the Tech-Turn model. We plan to dismantle old electronics, reuse useful parts, and install vibration and heat sensors to detect illegal logging, earthquakes, and forest fires. We also aim to mass-produce the model and sell it, while contributing to environmental protection,” said Tenzin Yeshey Wangdi, a member of the Team Tech Turn.
Sharmila Rai, another member said, “We saw e-waste pollution as a major problem, which is still quite new for many Bhutanese. After analysing the issue in depth, we came up with a solution called Tech-Turn, which focuses on addressing e-waste pollution.”
The team also pitched an idea of a digital platform to generate revenue from the sale of monitoring devices and to promote responsible e-waste management.
“One of our solutions is to create a website where we collect e-waste from schools, colleges, institutions, households, and waste drop-off centres. We plan to repair usable items and resell them at an affordable rate,” said Tshering Tshogyel Yangzom, also a member of the Team Tech Turn.
The UPSHIFT Bootcamp was led by five young volunteer facilitators, fostering peer-to-peer learning and strengthening youth ownership.
The lead facilitator at the UPSHIFT Bootcamp, Pema Ugyen Namdrol Jamtsho said, “Even though these ideas were developed in just a few days, they are very interesting and feasible. As facilitators, we truly believe in the participants’ capabilities and potential to make a real impact.”
With young people leading innovation and pitching solutions rooted in community needs, the UPSHIFT Bootcamp continues to shape a new generation of problem-solvers—turning ideas into action and challenges into opportunities.
Karma Wangdi
