Meet the Ethiopian-born teen saving lives with his skin-cancer prevention soap
He was born in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and moved to the United States of America at the age of four.
Heman Bekele at a young age developed an interest in science and put everything into it to explore this passion. At age 12, his first idea to discover more about skin cancer and its effects in disadvantaged regions was put to birth.
The less than $10 bar soap is designed to treat minor melanoma conditions and it took close to two years to develop.
By age 14, this idea became a reality with the creation of an innovative soap that can save lives. With this idea, the ninth-grader at WT Woodson High School in Annandale Virginia emerged as America’s Top Young Scientist in October 2023 when he won the prestigious award from 3M and Discovery Education, considered one of the country’s top middle school science competitions.
He also received the Improving Lives Award and received 25 thousand US dollars as his prize in October 2023.
Citing an interview with the 3M Scientist Lab, Fana Broadcasting Corporate, a local media platform in Ethiopia said Bekele explained his motivation for the invention. According to him, he aims to change the world positively and hopes to make a positive impact on the world through his work within the next 15 years.
“Alongside my professional success, I hope to have a fulfilling personal life with a loving family and a strong network of friends. I also hope to have given back to my community by mentoring aspiring engineers and supporting initiatives that promote STEM education,” he said.
