A team of 13 Ugandan pupils aged between 9 and 12 years are flying the country’s STEM flag high in Cape Town, South Africa, where they are representing Uganda at the prestigious Open Africa Championship – an international robotics competition organized by FIRST Robotics South Africa.
The Ugandan young minds are competing against 38 countries from across five continents, including; USA, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and numerous African nations.
The youngsters from Greenhill Academy Buwate are part of the NextGen STEM initiative, which has been instrumental in nurturing innovation, creativity, and technical skills among young learners across the country.
Mellon Kenyangi, an educator, and champion of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Uganda said that the Open Africa Championship is a global gathering that celebrates STEM, and showcases the talents of young innovators through competitive robotics challenges and collaborative learning experiences.
Kenyangi expressed pride and confidence in the Ugandan youngsters to place Uganda on the global map of STEM excellence.
“These children are more than just learners; they are innovators, problem -solvers, and future leaders. Participating on such a platform allows them to engage with peers from around the world and see the real-world impact of their skills and ideas,” she said.
Kenyangi added that the competition not only tests technical prowess in designing and programming LEGO and Rev robots, but also emphasizes teamwork, research, innovation, collaboration strategy, and global cooperation.
For many of the students, this marks their first international robotics trip -a life-changing experience that blends education with cultural exposure.
Kenyangi noted that the Ugandan team carries with it the hopes of a nation, inspired by the potential of youth-driven technology.
The Ugandan young minds, she said, will demonstrate that the future of innovation is African.
