Robotics | Teach Rwanda

TEACH Rwanda is partners in robotics innovation with Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Academy (STELA). Here’s the compelling story of how

Bright School became home to the first two FLL LEGO robotics teams in Rwanda beginning in 2021, and after several successful seasons
Bright School piloted the all-new STELA Eco-Bots, a sustainable, inclusive, inquiry-led, collaborative approach to robotics

Bright Beginnings

2021-22 Our first season

A serendipitous restaurant encounter in 2019 with TEACH Rwanda volunteers in Rwanda led to TR’s introduction to Eric Biribuze, a Burundian engineer with Corning Incorporated in New York. Eric choose Bright School, where children and teachers were curious and kind, to bring First LEGO League robotics to Rwanda. After a long wait through COVID, our first team was finally formed in late 2021. Eric posed with the team and leaders in January 2022.

Then in January 2022, Paula Ingabire, who is still the Minister of ICT and Innovation, visited Bright School. We were thrilled for her to see our primary children engaged in robotics.

2022-2023 Cargo Connect

In August 2022, a STELA/TR robotics open house was held at Africa Leadership University in Kigali—and a new partner for STELA and TR entered the picture.

Interest in robotics grew so fast that in 2022-23, Bright School had two robotics teams. With this year’s theme about transportation, students and coaches alike discovered drawbridges, a new concept in Rwanda.

2023-2024 Masterpiece

The arts and technology challenged Bright School’s robotics teams to identify their individual talents and how to showcase them. Here they are, posed at the end of the competition.

2024-2025 Submerged

Two Bright School’s two teams for the 24-25 school year dived into oceans for their underwater explorations. Rwanda is landlocked, so students’ curiosity about oceans was boundless! Our teams are pictured here after the regional competitions in Huye.

2025-2026 Unearthed

Only one archeologist lives in Rwanda, so this year’s theme required a lot of research at our school library and on the Internet. A team invented a system to carefully remove objects from an archeological dig. One competition judge, visibly amazed, remarked, “I am speechless. I cannot imagine primary learners doing this. Your future is bright, young boys and girls.”

Rwandan Robotics Expands!

What all-new, all-Rwandan robotics program promotes collaboration, inquiry, creativity, innovation, research skills, analytical thinking…and is eco-friendly; sustainable; builds confidence, knowledge, and life skills; and uses found or recycled materials? STELA Eco-Bots!

Our pilot of this home-grown robotics program, implemented in July 2026, was a smashing success. In small groups, led by two experienced robotics coaches, upper primary children at Bright School

designed and built mazes with stones
were inspired by two books: and
created galimotos to drive through their mazes
figured out how to wire simple circuits
researched and analyzed local challenges that could be solved with robots
designed, created, and tested prototype robotic solutions: MopMaid (to clean floors), NeTower (to improve phone signals), and Skywalker (to detect illegal drugs in vehicles)
wired and configured Arduino Unos, and programmed their robots with PictoBlox
presented their inventions to a cheering crowd
shared their life dreams

and never wanted their exciting robotics experiences to end!

Watch these three YouTube videos to see more about TR and STELA robotics:

Innovation!

STELA Eco-Bots Pilot Success

Dreams Come True With STELA Eco-Bots