Plant a Flower, Embellish the World

The Eco Explosion project is an inspiring story about a student company that was formed at the Mija Stanimirović Electrical Engineering School in Niš, where the idea of ecological transformation of the local community gradually developed. It all started with the competition of student companies launched by Junior Achievement Serbia, where a team of enthusiasts achieved great success and turned their love for ecology into a practical and sustainable project.

The student company, like any other, has its own people in management positions – Ognjen Marjanović is the company director, Petar Cvetković the finance director, Petra Mitrović the production director, Mihajlo Dinić the graphic designer and Jana Kostić the marketing director and our interlocutor, who explained to us what ecological bombs were and how they help to preserve the environment.

Eco Explosion produces eco-bombs – seedlings enriched with soil, humus, seeds of selected plants and special absorbent sand called the secret ingredient, as it plays a crucial role in preserving the readiness of seeds for germination. The sand  actually  helps the eco-bombs keep their shape and absorb all the moisture so that the seeds cannot germinate until they come into contact with water. The bomb-making process, which takes place in the school’s Makers Lab, involves mixing ingredients and forming balls that are then dried for 24-48 hours, allowing the team to produce large quantities of their “invention” in a relatively short period.

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Everyone will be able to buy eco-bombs on modified devices that will be placed all over Niš, while the team hopes that in the future, the devices will be distributed in other Serbian cities. The devices are very easy to use and attract the attention and interest of both children and adults. All that is required is 50 dinars to buy a token, which is inserted into the device after purchase. The user then pushes the lever several times and gets their eco-bomb ready for planting.

Although the purchasing process is simple, the students still encounter challenges along the way. Some of the challenges included the safety and operation of the machines that would be installed and distribute their product, as well as the formulation of the recipe for the innovative eco-bombs. Financial challenges are also common with such initiatives. However, Eco Explosion managed to stand out thanks to the support of the local community, the media and especially the Vožd Karađorđe scouts, who recognized the value and potential of this project.

“Up until now, we have purchased all the ingredients and all the consumables ourselves with the money we would collect at school bazaars. Our school, other students, and teachers supported us by buying various decorations, sweets, and gifts that we sold at the school. In this way, we raised enough money to invest in the company and realize our idea. If we hadn’t participated in the bazaar, we don’t know how we would have managed to collect the money. We believe that finances are exactly what is stopping young people from implementing their ideas”, Jana explains.

Prepared by Milica Vučković