A group of talented students from Mbaikini Girls High School in Mwala sub county, Machakos county are gearing up to represent Kenya on the global stage after qualifying for the International Robotics Olympiad, set to take place in Turkey this November.
The trio, Angela Kalondu, Winnie Wangari and Magdalene earned their spot in the prestigious competition after emerging victorious in the recently concluded national robotics contest.
Their winning project is a groundbreaking prototype designed to reconstruct homes destroyed by natural disasters such as earthquakes.
However, despite their impressive achievement, the students are in urgent need of financial support to turn their dream of venturing into the world of robotics and coding into reality.
With guidance from Kenya Connect, the students developed a robot that uses coded instructions to identify and collect debris, effectively aiding in the reconstruction of homes.
The idea for the project was inspired by the widespread destruction caused by floods and demolitions, highlighting a faster and more efficient method to assist affected families.
“We were up against 25 other groups, and we managed to clinch the top position. But now, our dream is at risk if we can’t secure the funds to travel. We are confident that we can win and make our country proud. For us, this will be our first time traveling abroad,” said Angela Kalondu, one of the team members.
Peter Munguti, Director, Kenya Connect, emphasized the challenges faced by students from under-resourced schools in competing at such high levels.
“Children from sub-county or under-resourced schools often struggle to compete effectively due to a lack of resources. Given the right support, they are just as capable as their peers in national schools,” he noted.
At the international competition, the Mbaikini Girls team will compete against representatives from 95 other countries.
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Success at this level could attract mentorship, funding, and opportunities to collaborate with world-class engineers, thereby enhancing their prototype and cementing Kenya’s STEM education position in the global stage.
Mbaikini Girls High School, located in Mwala Sub-County, is one of the schools benefiting from Kenya Connect’s provision of computers for coding and robotics kits.
Another school, Kilembwa Secondary School, also participated in the national competition with their team developing a robot named ‘Lobster’ which is designed to collect litter around the school while students focus on their studies.
By Agnes Orang’o
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