Motivate why you should be nominated for a KTH Scholarship by describing how you will contribute to the sustainable development goals with a master’s degree from KTH. This should be done by giving an example of a sustainability challenge that you wish to contribute to.

Today, thanks to the Sustainable Development Goals, progress is being made in many areas, but there are goals that still require active and urgent solutions. Disposal of solid wastes is a stinging and widespread problem in both urban and rural areas in many developed and developing countries. Waste management is an interdisciplinary problem. And I believe that architects possess the tools to introduce technological and social aspects that distinguish them from professionals in other engineering disciplines. E-waste is one of the most important concerns that I want to contribute to. The total amount of e-waste used each year grows by 2. 5 million tons. In 2019 the world generated 53. 6 million tons of waste alone and by 2030 the global total is likely to swell to 74. 7 million tons. These numbers make it the world's fastest-growing waste, fueled mainly by people buying electronic products with shorter life cycles and fewer options for repair. Urgent action is needed as this waste poses a major threat to the health and well-being of many people, especially millions of children, adolescents and mothers-to-be around the world, whose health is at risk from the informal handling of discarded electrical or electronic devices. E-waste contains high levels of toxic chemicals, and children exposed to it are particularly vulnerable to the toxic chemicals it contains due to their smaller size, less developed organs, and rapid growth and development. In addition, the drop in sales of electronic and electrical equipment in low-and middle-income countries during the pandemic has highlighted and widened the digital divide between the North and the South, which has also affected other sustainable development goals. At the moment, I not only adhere to sensible consumption of electronic devices but also expand my professional knowledge by designing an e-waste recycling and skill development center in Ghana. Africa is now the country with the biggest dumping sites of hazardous waste. The Global E-waste monitor issued an urgent call in 2020 for all African leaders to take action on this issue. Several hundred pounds of wire are burned during the day and the leftovers are sold to metal traders for recycling. But depending on when the insulation was made, the fumes generated can contain dioxin, heavy metals and other pollutants that pose a serious threat to human health. Technologies have been developed over the past half century to enable this separation to be carried out in an environmentally friendly manner. But even the cheapest solutions tend to be too expensive for Ghana's processors with limited capital. This is the case not only in Ghana; there are more than a dozen such terrible points on the continent. Their number, as well as the area of landfills, will continue to grow. Therefore, it is necessary to find a model that would help dispose of waste in a more environmentally friendly way. Last but not least, it is necessary to create centers that would provide a place for training people and raise awareness among the population. Many states will need such centers in the future. In addition to being able to reduce the negative impact on the environment and human health, the centers will create jobs that will greatly contribute to the achievement of the goal of no poverty. After all, it is not enough to create an object that would facilitate global problems through its functionality; they will continue to grow further. It is also necessary to think about solving a number of social problems in the process. Moreover, the e-waste problem could expand into a global health crisis, largely affecting urban areas if not addressed, as dumpsites cause the quality of land and air to degrade dramatically. I believe that studying for a master's degree at KTH Royal Institute of Technology will help me gain the necessary skills to improve the situation. This problem requires large system-wide changes, but I believe that architecture that provides new developed facilities is one of the key ways to contribute. By being part of the project team that addresses social and environmental aspects, I believe that I can solve them with innovative design and technologies. If the KTH Scholarship is awarded to me, it will be a significant and valuable step for me to move towards the goal of creating a better future, and I know that one day I will provide something meaningful to the individuals that I encounter.