28/07/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1DpancDhYm/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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When disasters cut electricity and disrupt fuel supplies, even warming a meal can become difficult. For 11-year-old Johann Avery Abatayo, this was a hardship his own family had experienced.
After a super typhoon struck Cebu in 2021, their home remained without electricity for months. The family initially relied on a gas stove, but obtaining warm food became more difficult when their fuel eventually ran out.
The experience inspired Johann, a Grade 6 pupil of OcaΓ±a Central Elementary School in Carcar City, to build a low-cost solar oven using a carton box, aluminium foil, plastic wrap, and black paper.
The device uses sunlight to generate and retain heat, allowing food to be warmed or reheated without electricity. Its simple materials make it especially relevant for families facing prolonged power interruptions after disasters.
Johannβs project earned first place in the Junior Science Demonstration competition during the 2025 Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Week in Cebu.
At only 11, he turned a difficult memory into a practical project for families experiencing the same struggle. In a disaster-prone country, his work shows how young minds can transform hardship into solutions that respond to real needs.