Evening’s last light got us disembarking from the last taxi that brought us from Gulu, one of the districts in northern Uganda. Then, the next morning’s first light brought a promise of a long day, going from school-to-school. The work awaiting us, robotics training, would prove enlightening to trainees, on the warm Saturday.

For students who study in schools with ill-equipped computer or technology labs- where there are no robotics instructors-salvation depends on enrolling for a free robotics training by Oysters & Pearls-Uganda, even if that means spending an extra hour in class, or having to forego Saturday’s much needed rest.

To Joyce Atim, an A’ Level student of Lira Town College, spending 30 or 60 minutes more in class, is a privilege. Prior to the Robotics training, Joyce struggled to grasp the concepts in ICT. She experienced firsthand, the effects of lack of practicals in that class. She attended it like she would any other Arts subject.

Much as she desired to have a career in ICT, the prospects seemed grim, given the hypothetical conception she was being given by her school.

“Our class is massive. The teacher can’t handle us one-on-one. Besides, students are always distracted; this demotivates the teacher more,” Joyce observed.

However, this year, Oysters & Pearls-Uganda introduced Robotics training at Joyce’s school. Once each week, Joyce and her fellow techies are taken through applied Robotics. She is gradually translating the theory given by her school, and the hands-on by Oysters & Pearls-Uganda.

Joyce comes from Soroti district, located in Eastern Uganda. Her home is neighbored by a prison. And, that is where her solution will be much needed. For years, all she learned from home was extra prudence. Thieving prisoners, who are driven by the vice that could have landed them in prison in the first place, or the harsh conditions in jail-drives them to snatch whatever their eyes land on, within their vicinity.

“The prisoners rip clothes off drying wires, utensils in the people’s compounds…whatever can fetch them a few shillings,” Joyce said of prisoners, who have served many years, and are entrusted by prison warders, and sent on errands outside their jail premises.

“We are always on guard, in our own home, at daytime,” she added.

Joyce’s paranoia about thieves followed her to school. She became a center of ridicule among her mates, who consider her unnecessarily protective.

“I’m always, instinctively hiding and cross-checking all my stuff,” Joyce said. I feel I can’t trust anyone with my belongings.”

Joyce now speaks confidently of her plan to solve her community problems using the knowledge she is acquiring through our training robotics trainings, given at no charge to the school.

She is sure that by the end of her training, she will invent a sensor and tracking device that can be used by her family and her community to reduce the rampant thefts.

Yet, she has more ideas up her sleeves; to develop a conveyor belt, to lessen the farm work of the prisoners, who are subjected to hard labor, twelve hours, daily.

“From ploughing to harvesting large farms. It is exhausting. Some [prisoners] get sick due to so much work”.

Each year, Oysters & Pearls-Uganda holds technology camps, where students and instructors come together from within and outside Uganda, to showcase their skills, and share ideas with other young tech enthusiasts.

Since 2013, Oysters & Pearls-Uganda has been committed to better science education, through hands-on skilling, and exposing students in Uganda to modern and relevant technologies.

Abel Ogwang, is the patron of the Robotics Club at Lira Town College. He argues that the robotics training gives students the opportunity to engage in real world thinking, and shapes their future for the better.

“In Uganda, where unemployment is high among graduates, a student with such a skill cannot fail to start their own income-generating project,” Abel said.

“If they fail to be employed by an organization, they can’t fail to create their own jobs.”

No wonder, Joyce now speaks confidently: “With the regular robotics training, my future career is clearer in my mind than before.”