By Anchor Writers

In the quiet and often forgotten corners of Mwala, Machakos County, a remarkable transformation is taking root—fuelled by code, courage, and sheer determination.

Long plagued by poverty and drought, Mwala is now birthing something extraordinary: a new generation of innovators who are rewriting the region’s story. For the second year in a row, students from the often arid county are preparing to represent Kenya at the prestigious World Robotics Competition in Singapore.

This global journey began last year, when Mbaikini Girls Secondary School made history by representing Kenya at the World Robotics meet in Türkiye. Their trailblazing effort not only inspired awe but also lit a fire across schools in Mwala.

Now, it’s Kilembwa Secondary School in Wamunyu, Mwala Sub-county, carrying the mantle. The school’s robotics team—three determined boys named Maxwell Karanja, Joshua Mumo, and Kyalo—recently emerged national champions in the senior category during the 2025 Kenya National Robotics Competition in Nairobi.

Their winning project? A robot designed for space exploration—a machine that mimics the construction of a rocket, assembling bolts with precision and shutting compartments after completion. It’s the kind of bold, imaginative work often reserved for elite institutions. But this one was built in a dusty classroom powered by ambition, not abundance.

The trio developed their model under the guidance of their teacher and coach, Michael Muthama, a visionary who introduced robotics to Kilembwa despite enormous odds. The school had never had access to such technology—until Kenya Connect, through the Future Investment Initiative, installed a digital lab with 30 computers and robotics kits.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing. “At first, people laughed at us,” said Mumo. “They thought we were playing with toys. But what they didn’t know is that behind the wires was powerful code that can solve real-world problems.”

Nicknamed “Captain” by his teammates, Karanja leads the technical operations of the robot’s design. The team continues to fine-tune their robot’s movement accuracy—a challenge they faced during the national contest in Nairobi—as they prepare for the Singapore showdown this November.

The project is changing how these students view the world as they see robotics as a path to help forecast weather, support farmers, and fight global warming.

“This has changed how they think, how they perform, especially in science subjects,” says Muthama. “It’s the kind of transformation no one expected from a rural school like ours.”

Indeed, Kilembwa’s rise echoes that of Mbaikini Girls. Despite limited facilities and lack of funding, both schools have toppled well-equipped private institutions in national competitions, powered by passion, resilience, and a deep hunger for opportunity.

But while their spirits are sky-high, finances are not. As of now, the Kilembwa team has raised nothing toward their Singapore trip. Yet the students remain undeterred. “We believe in our mission,” Karanja says simply. “We just need someone to believe in us too.”

Kenya Connect’s Patrick Munguti, Director of Education and Technology, says what’s happening in Mwala is no fluke. “We’re seeing brilliant young minds come alive when given tools to explore. This movement is real, and it needs full support.”

At Kilembwa, a place once overshadowed by hardship, the future is being written in lines of code. And it’s heading to Singapore.

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