– Mentors have created a program where they’re teaching the kids how to position themselves for US ivy league schools w/ 100% aid (with 100% success).

Fredrick Mwepu: Technical Lead
Born and raised in the streets of Kanyama, a community characterised by illicit activity, poor sanitation, high levels of unemployment and poverty, one can not afford to worry about their aspirations, as their primary concern is to provide for their needs. Fredrick grew up questioning the vices that built his community and he hoped he could one day help address those challenges.
Fortunately, he had parents that attached utmost importance to education despite not having attained it formally. Thus, they pushed him to focus on his academics, encouraged him not to be a product of his environment, and supported him during his time at school.
The excitement he obtained from learning subjects that helped him better understand the world around him, was an unmatched experience that was instrumental to establishing a concrete foundation of his interest in STEM. From learning about atoms that make up particles, Kinematics in Physics and about the environment in Geography were a few lessons that built his passion for STEM related subjects in school.
Despite the gravity of his social challenges, Fredrick has not allowed this to hold him down but has instead used it to propel him to the top of his class at Chinika Secondary School. Outside the classroom, he participated in numerous extra-curricular activities such as the Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists club (JETS), and Climate change activism clubs that helped shape his aspirations and passions.
Being part of the Zambia Robotics team has indeed been a learning experience for him, as it has helped him bridge the gap between ideating things and creating them with a hands-on learning experience through robotics; it has also helped him grow in various pathways. The experience thus far has allowed him to envision a country in which young people take leading roles that advance the nation STEM-wise and create African-born solutions to challenges. His love for humanity and biodiversity prompts him to give a shot at changing and bettering the lives of many in his community, the country, and the world at large through STEM innovations.
He is thrilled to be among the five that will represent the country at the FIRST Global Challenge and looks forward to meeting with like minded students from other countries in one space. Additionally , he is also inclined to experience the multicultural-diversity at the games.
Fredrick Mwepu has now become a climate change enthusiast and Robotics fanatic carrying an unparalleled passion for the community, the earth’s environment, and STEM entirely . Today, he decides to utilise his skills towards engaging with various young people in communities teaching them to code, adapt to digital literacy and learn about internet safety with the help of different organisations.

Abigail Masumbu: Team Captain
Her feet arched across the well to support her waverly grip of the bucket she has to lift countless of times onto the surface. The chances of Abigail achieving her dreams in that moment could be measured by the length of the rope she has to pull to the ground- they were beyond her reach. As if living 9 miles away from civilization was not enough, everyday before she trekked to school, the damsel would glance at her static ailing father in distress. The gates of opportunity themselves were bordered by her geographical placement; unable to share her light with the world, Abigail was confined in the uneventful neighbourhood of Chunga, Chimutengo. Igniting her flame, however, was her strong character and perseverance.
Attending a low funded public school with inadequate learning resources, the trailblazer still engined herself to overtake the country’s brightest minds by gaining national merit. Ranking in the 99th percentile in a class size of about 700 students, Abigail was One out of Three of the first people at her school to be awarded an academic scholarship by the government of Zambia in order to complete her secondary education. Driven by the great forces of Mathematics, gravity pushed her towards navigating the wonders of the STEM subject. Rigour was her middle name, and her inquisition championed her intellectual facets in the depth of the course, leading her to creating her own formulas for various calculations. Abigail still possesses to this day, the ability to integrate Mathematical theories. She says “Maths is not a chain of concepts, but an umbrella of like variables.” This liberal approach towards problem solving, is what led her to being elected as an Executive Member of her School’s first student council. Spearheading her team, Abigail chaired a campaign that would provide her school its first bus in over Two decades.
Aside from her academic vitality and leadership roles, Abigail takes pride in her non-academic activities such as creative writing and community service. From writing an article that has featured in a local magazine, to coming up with an individual project aiming towards combating climate change, the innovator looks forward to providing representation to a community of forward thinkers who have no platform to showcase their ability. She stands here today leading a group of inordinate intellectuals set to influencing groundbreaking innovations in Zambia’s tech industry. This isn’t just a learning experience for her, but a start towards developing a growing channel of like minded youths. In retrospect, her team is ambitious towards aiding the advancement of STEM in our country’s future.

Arnav Khanna: Deputy Team Captain
Fuelled by his Indian values “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam” implying the world is one family, this young boy of 16 is characterised by his experience, grit and determination. His stature can be misleading for this dreamy-eyed boy stands tall. His experiences from the pedestals of Woolsey Hall at Yale university debating with the best global scholars to the confines of a room; where he had to quit school due to financial insecurities and self-study IGCSE have defined his character. Insecurities and ailments in the family only helped him adapt and overcome. He persevered without books and teachers; without peers at his level of study and without any guidance to not only complete his two-year-long IGCSE in a single year of the pandemic, but also win an ICE Distinction from Cambridge with 8A* and a 99 percentile in both Maths and Physics which assisted him to pursue school again with an IBDP national scholarship from a renowned school. A class topper from the very first grade, with a full checkpoint 6 in Cambridge checkpoint exams, student of the year, to a Yale Scholar, this boy has worked his way up.
His passion for coding and single-minded dedication can be seen in his self-learned skills from HarvardX, CS50 and AI 50 at the age of 14. These have now aided him in spreading STEM awareness amongst his peers and the community at large. He has taken up the role of STEM instructor at various clubs and activities and pledges to bring Zambia on the global tech map.
Not just a tech geek, this multifaceted talent has an ear for music, which was visible from the age of three. He has shared stage performances for both guitar and piano with the best in Zambia, winning all Zambian awards in Classical music, in addition to ABRSM higher level certificates in three branches viz piano, guitar and music theory.
A coder from the age of 10, Arnav has been a forerunner in contributions to the Zambian Robotics teams. Joining Zambia Robotics at the age of 12, to become the youngest team member in the history of Zambia Robotics. He has shared ideas, designs and coding capabilities and has advanced to being the Deputy Team Captain. He looks forward to building robots, relations and dreams.

Thank you to our supporters!