Over the New Year’s holiday, 10 of our Unite Scholars participated in a highly competitive and selective five-day-long STEM Boot Camp sponsored by Projekt Inspire in Tanga, Tanzania. More than 70 students came together from schools across the country for an intense study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
“We host annual STEM youth boot camps for secondary students as a way to encourage and steer critical thinking, problem solving, and innovation in the world of rapidly evolving science and technology, particularly for the Tanzanian industrial economy,” said Projekt Inspire Director Dr. Lwidiko Mhamilawa, whose boot camps challenge talented youth to apply their STEM educations to the fields of agriculture and fisheries, renewable energies, and water management.*
“We learned about how to identify and tackle real-life problems in our communities,” says Unite Scholar Elina Green, who enjoyed the opportunity to apply theories to the practical world in hands-on and interactive manners.
With their fellow Projekt Inspire teammates, our Unite Scholars developed a computer program to assess and measure water quality, and they presented inventions and projects to the group for feedback to support further development.
Unite Scholars Stella and Elina participated in Projekt Inspire’s technology class and were introduced to Arduino, an open source language used to design electrical equipment. Elina presented a pilot program for Menstrual Hygiene Management for women and girls and was chosen as the second winner in Pilot project out of 30 competitors.
Unite Scholar Ashura (center in white) participated in Projekt Inspire’s Science Group, which focused on food production and preservation and the “transportation system” within the human body.
Unite Scholar John John (second from the far right) attends a science class with Projekt Inspire students from across Tanzania.
Unite Scholar Michael works on his invention in the technology group.
Unite Scholars Stella, Neema, Elina, and Ashura. Girl Power!
Unite Scholar David Bitaho at work in Projekt Inspire’s Engineering class.
(Left to Right) Unite Scholars Luther, Winson, John John, Neema, Stella, Michael, Ashura, Lazaro, Elina and David at the Projekt Inspire STEM Boot Camp in Tanzania. January 1, 2021.
*Article from The Guadian by Gertrude Mbogo published on January 2, 2021.