UNIMA Chemistry Student Named Among Top 12 Falling Walls Lab Malawi Finalists

A University of Malawi (UNIMA) fifth-year Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (Honours) student, Gabriel Banda, has been named among the top 12 finalists of Falling Walls Lab Malawi, earning a place in the national finalist cohort from more than 53 applicants who pitched innovative ideas.

Falling Walls Lab is a pitch competition for students and early-career professionals with innovative ideas aimed at addressing challenges in science, society and beyond.

Participants are given three minutes to present their breakthrough ideas to an audience and jury, highlighting the problem they seek to address, their proposed solution, its significance, potential impact and how it can help break barriers in science or society.

Banda’s innovative project focuses on removing nitrates from drinking water using aluminium-salt-modified activated carbon.

The technology aims to enhance the ability of activated carbon-based household filters to remove nitrates, which, when present at high levels in drinking water, can pose serious health risks, including contributing to the condition commonly known as Blue Baby Syndrome.

“I was inspired to tackle nitrate contamination through my work at the Southern Regional Water Development Laboratory and Blantyre Water Board, where I saw first-hand the challenges of ensuring safe drinking water,” Banda says.

“Many Malawian communities rely on groundwater polluted by fertilisers and waste. Nitrate can cause Blue Baby Syndrome in infants and has been associated with increased health risks in adults, yet affordable solutions are limited,” he adds.

The Falling Walls Lab programme seeks to support early-career innovators, promote interdisciplinary ideas, encourage science and social innovation, provide participants with pitching experience, increase the visibility of emerging ideas and connect innovators with wider networks.

As part of the competition, the finalists underwent preparation and coaching sessions at the Lilongwe University of Natural and Applied Sciences’ (LUANAR) Natural Resources College (NRC) in Lilongwe ahead of the national finale which was held on 14 August 2026.

Banda’s selection highlights the calibre of scientific talent emerging from UNIMA and its contribution to Malawi’s growing innovation landscape. It also demonstrates the ability of UNIMA students to develop solutions to real-world challenges and compete alongside emerging researchers and innovators from across the country.

“My goal is to turn this idea into a practical filter that protects families, especially children, across rural Malawi and beyond,” Banda says.