The Young African Leaders for Smart Infrastructure Development (YAL SMART) Research Project celebrated significant milestones as it launched YAL SMART Innovation Clubs at several Botswana schools and conducted sensor installations on the Kazungula Bridge. These endeavors mark a critical step in the project’s mission to empower Botswana’s youth in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics (STEAM), entrepreneurship, physical wellbeing and smart infrastructure.

YAL SMART initiated the launch of its Innovation Clubs at Chobe Community Junior Secondary School, Nata Senior Secondary School, and Boswelakgosi Community Junior Secondary School this month of October. These clubs aim to inspire students to explore innovative solutions to community challenges. The launch events were attended by enthusiastic students, area chiefs and councilors, educators, and project representatives. Chobe Junior Secondary School PTA Chairperson, Mr. Victor Liwena, conveyed the importance of the initiative in the broader community context, saying, “The challenge is in the community, where a significant number of out-of-school students and individuals exist. This presents an opportunity for the Innovation Clubs to expand beyond schools and benefit those who are currently left behind. We appreciate YAL SMART’s donation of the Raspberry Pi’s to the school and are committed to supporting the students and teachers in their innovation journey.”

Nata Senior School Student, Kemo Oesipoelo, expressed his excitement, saying, “I was honored to be a part of the YAL SMART Innovation camp where I could realize my idea for a mobile application that I am pursuing further through the YAL SMART Project. I am in talks with an acquaintance I made at the camp to further develop and commercialize the idea of the application to benefit the community.” Fellow Nata Senior School Student, Winnie Gadimang, added, “It was really exciting to be involved in such a great project. We are looking forward to the YAL SMART Innovation Club that has been launched in Nata Senior. We will be recruiting our fellow schoolmates so that we can innovate on a larger scale.”

Thabo Ramogotsi, Deputy School Head at Nata Senior Secondary School, warmly welcomed the collaboration, stating, “We extend our appreciation to YAL SMART for partnering with us. This project will result in practical benefits, including the possibility of students building prototypes of sensors to mount on Nata Senior’s infrastructure. Our infrastructure has been deteriorating at a rapid pace, and we look forward to benefiting from the project’s feedback.”

The YAL SMART Research Project’s engagement was not limited to schools. The project’s Engineering Team successfully installed sensors on the Kazungula Bridge for the next phase of the research, emphasizing the importance of combining infrastructure development with community health. Dr. Phillimon Odirile, PI (Principal Investigator) from the University of Botswana, emphasized the project’s commitment to inspiring the youth, saying, “The YAL SMART project addresses persistent youth unemployment and structural development challenges. We aim to encourage students to think of ways to build infrastructure that benefits the entire community, incorporating sports and entrepreneurship.” Professor Nizar Lajnef, PI from Michigan State University, shared his insights, stating that he believes in the power of innovation and the potential of local resources to develop intelligent infrastructure. “The objective is to leverage innovation, technology, and STEAM to empower the youth and create a lasting impact.” he added. Professor Leapetswe Matele, Co-PI from Michigan State University, expressed his emotions, saying, “I feel moved every time I see this because I know there’s so much talent in this country. We want these kids to understand that they can be the drivers of this country’s development.”

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The YAL SMART Research Project continues to forge new paths for Botswana’s youth, inspiring them to embrace innovation and technology as tools for community development. The journey is far from over, and the project remains committed to nurturing the future leaders and innovators of Botswana.

This U.S. Botswana Collaborative Research project leverages the expertise and resources of Michigan State University, the University of Botswana, and knowledge management company; Infers Group. This unique collaboration fosters knowledge exchange, innovation, and a shared commitment to empowering African youth for a brighter future. This project is supported by Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) through the Partnerships for Innovative Research in Africa Grant Programme (PIRA)

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Leroy Nyoni
Email: nyonileroy@yahoo.com
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