Pupils Design Plasters For Malawi

1 June 2011, 06:00 | Updated: 1 June 2011, 17:30

A product designed by three school pupils will go on sale in 1,700 Co-operative stores this week, helping to fund medical supplies to Africa.

A-level students Emmie Rayat, 16, Taylar Leak, 17, and Deryn Hertz, also 17, from Bushey Meads School in Hertfordshire, designed a pack of plasters which won a competition aimed at raising funds for Malawi.

Sales of the plasters will raise money for medical kits and bicycle ambulances in Malawi, where people in rural communities live up to 15km (9 miles) from the nearest health centre.

The three girls will visit Malawi later in the year after their product won the competition, run by Global Ethics and supported by the Co-op.

Peter Marks, chief executive of The Co-operative Group, said: "The students certainly did their homework and showed real enterprise. They pitched their idea perfectly - from the animal designs on the plasters to the powerful messages on the packaging.

"It all linked back strongly to funding medication, staff and other healthcare in Malawi.''