Students from Kilembwa Secondary in Mwala Sub County are designing a robot, named ‘lobster,’ to assist in litter collection while they concentrate on their studies.
The initiative is supported by Kenya Connect (KC), a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), in collaboration with Future Investment Initiative (FII), a global nonprofit foundation. These organizations partnered to equip learners with laptops and robotic kits, fostering innovation in the development of the robot.
Mr. Michael Muthama, a teacher at the school, highlighted that the availability of Information, Communication, and Technology infrastructure in the school has heightened the students’ interest in technological innovation.
“The computer lab has changed the attitude of learners in school and during computer class, the students are very keen,” said Muthama.
He highlighted that despite the school’s remote location, students have the opportunity to innovate with the assistance of KC and FII. Muthama emphasized that the project will provide students with crucial ICT skills, offering them a competitive advantage upon graduation.
Maxwell Karanja, a form two student aspiring to be an aeronautical engineer, praised the project for allowing him to learn ICT. He expressed that once operational, the robot would save students time spent cleaning the school, allowing them to concentrate on their studies.
“When we come to school in the morning we are supposed to clean the whole compound so the robot will help us clean as we focus on our studies in the morning,” said Karanja.
The student added that the robot would contribute to reducing the risk of infection among students, as it eliminates the need for them to pick up litter with their bare hands.
Karanja explained that the robot will be equipped with color sensors programmed through the computer, allowing it to sense and pick up litter based on the programmed colors before disposing of them into a dustbin. Additionally, he noted that a computer would be programmed to monitor the robot’s movements around the compound as it senses and locates litter.
Kenya Connect is an NGO in Mwala Sub County dedicated to engaging and empowering students and teachers for academic excellence.
