BOKAMOSO 2026: building a sustainable future, one idea at a time

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Knight Piésold celebrated young innovators who turned real-world school challenges into practical, sustainable engineering solutions

Empowering the next generation of problem-solvers

Young innovators came together at the Bokamoso National Sus-tainability Challenge 2026 showcase in Sandton.

What happens when young people are given the opportunity to rethink the future of their schools and communities? At Knight Piésold, the answer was a showcase of innovation, practical thinking and a shared belief in the power of education to create lasting change.

On 23 October 2026, Knight Piésold celeb-rated the achievements of learners who participated in the Bokamoso National Sustain-ability Challenge, a youth development initiative designed to encourage the next generation to explore engineering, sustain-ability and STEM careers.

Held during Knight Piésold’s 105th anniversary year, the showcase reflected the company’s commitment to investing in young talent and supporting the communities in which it operates.

Bokamoso, meaning “future”, is Knight Piésold’s flagship corporate social investment (CSI) initiative. The programme focuses on educational development, STEM awareness and creating opportunities for learners from under-resourced communities to explore pathways into engineering and related fields.

Through Bokamoso, Knight Piésold seeks to bridge the gap between education and the world of work by encouraging academic devel-opment, recognising learner potential and supporting practical improvements within school communities.

The 2026 National Sustainability Challenge built on this commitment by asking Grade 11 learners from eligible public schools to identify a real challenge at their school and develop an engineering-based solution capable of making a positive difference over the next 10 to 15 years.

The challenge was guided by one central question:

Learners were encouraged to look at their every-day environments through an engineering lens,

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identifying problems, researching possible solu-tions and considering how their ideas could be implemented, funded and maintained over time.

The challenge encouraged teamwork, research and practical problem-solving.

Proposals could address areas such as renewable energy, water conservation, waste management, environmental sustainability and improvements to school infrastructure. Whether considering energy-efficient learning spaces, water-saving systems or environmental initiatives, learners had to demonstrate that their ideas were realistic, financially viable and sustainable.

The process challenged participants to think beyond the idea itself. They needed to consider costs, resources, implementation risks and long-term benefits - the same considerations that inform engineering projects in the real world.

Learners translated identified challenges into proposals designed to deliver meaningful, long-term benefits.

For Knight Piésold, this was the essence of Bokamoso: creating opportunities for young people to apply their knowledge, develop con-fidence and see how their ideas could contribute to stronger, more sustainable communities.

From classroom challenges to practical solutions

Vishal Haripersad, CEO/Managing Director of Knight Piésold, addressed the importance of investing in young people and future engineering talent.

The showcase brought learners into a profes-sional environment where their ideas could be presented, evaluated and discussed with in-dustry representatives.

Each team was required to explain the problem it had identified, outline its proposed solution and demonstrate how the project could be implemented in a practical and sustainable way. This gave learners an oppor-tunity to develop their presentation skills while engaging with the kind of critical thinking required in engineering and project development.

The proposals were assessed against six criteria: sustainability relevance, engineering practicality, innovation, budget feasibility, long-term impact and presentation quality.

This approach ensured that the challenge recognised not only creativity, but also the ability to turn an idea into a considered proposal with the potential to benefit a school community.

Beyond the presentations, Bokamoso provided an opportunity for learners to build confidence, work collaboratively and exper-ience how ideas are assessed in a professional setting. These skills are valuable not only for those considering engineering, but also for young people preparing to enter an increasingly complex world of work.

Recognition with a purpose

The awards recognised the top-performing teams while creating an opportunity to support development at both learner and school level.

The five leading schools received individual learner prizes alongside funding allocated to their school projects. This dual approach was central to the challenge: recognising the effort and potential of young people while directing resources towards initiatives intended to benefit their wider school communities.

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Investing in tomorrow’s possibilities

The top five schools were recognised for their performance in the Bokamoso National Sustain-ability Challenge 2026.

The showcase culminated in the recognition of the five leading schools:

Together, the five winning teams received R360,000 in school project funding and R54,000 in individual learner prizes, represent-ing a combined award value of R414,000.

The awards recognised learner achievement and provided funding towards school-based development.

For Knight Piésold, the significance of Bokamoso extended beyond the awards. The programme created a platform for learners to connect their education with real-world challenges, develop practical skills and consider how engineering could improve the environ-ments in which people live and learn.

It also reflected the importance of sup-porting future talent early. By introducing learners to engineering concepts, sustainability planning and professional feedback, the initi-ative encouraged them to see themselves as potential contrib-utors to South Africa’s future development.

As Knight Piésold celebrated 105 years of engineering excellence, Bokamoso provided a meaningful expression of the company’s commitment to the next generation - supporting young people not simply to imagine a better future, but to develop the knowledge and confidence to help build it.

Selina Chetty of Knight Piésold acknow-ledged the learners, educators, judges and contributors who helped make the programme possible.

The showcase concluded by celebrating the effort, creativity and potential demon-strated by the participating learners. Their proposals reinforced an important message: sustainable change can begin with a simple question, a willingness to investigate a problem and the determination to find a practical solution.

Through Bokamoso, Knight Piésold continued to invest in education, STEM devel-opment and the young people who will help shape the future of engineering.

The future starts with an idea. Bokamoso helps young people turn those ideas into pos-sibilities