Tanzania embarks on robot making

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A total of 30 students from Suye and Moshono secondary schools in Arusha City have already started the 'Robot Making' programme, in which each institution has fielded 15 students for the technology demanding task.

The 'Robotic Camp,' programme for Tanzania, which has just kicked off in Arusha, is being undertaken by the E3- Empower Africa, a technology oriented organisation from Korea with its 'E3' standing for Energy, Education and Entrepreneurship.

The executive for E3- Empower, David Kim, said the students are being trained to make three types of robots, including 'obstacle removers’ to clear roads and other passages, especially during riots or disasters; 'danger robots' to raise alerts during impending occurrences; and 'rabbit robots' that move from place to place to pick or deliver items.

"We have already made a number of trial robots and it is heart-warming to know that the students who make them never had any background in technology, ICT and in fact many hadn't used commuters before," he said.

According to Kim, many of the computers being brought in the country are underutilised on that Tanzania does not have enough software to make the machines work to their full potential. Kim was of the view that Tanzania needs more computer teachers, more advanced software and dedicated ICT programs in schools, if the country is to make better and larger strides in high-tech.

Project facilitator, Esther Seo, said they are focusing on ordinary schools where students have little, if any, background in computer; "we were surprised that many have been very fast to capture the concept," she stated.

The Robot Making training initiative has started in Arusha for the year 2017 and by next year, the Korean trainers will move to Dar es Salaam to impact same knowledge to students there.

"We are not only training Tanzanian students to produce robots, but also have same program in the United States, which means this is actually an advanced initiative even for the developed countries," added Seo.

The Suye Secondary School headmaster, Mwalimu Enock Mkumbwa, was of the view that his institution will enter into a two-year contract with Korean experts so that the students and teachers can be trained on Information Communication Technology (ICT).

A Form III student at Moshono Secondary School, Joseph Msisiri, said after learning the importance of robots, he figures that the project may create future income generating undertaking for local youth both in Arusha and Tanzania as a whole.