01 Oct 2026

Kagiso Senior Secondary School robotics team is gearing up to represent the country at the upcoming Global Challenge scheduled to take place in Incheon, South Korea, from October 7-10.

The team will depart on October 4 and join young innovators from nearly 200 countries to showcase their engineering and problem-solving talents on a global platform.

This year’s competition theme; Igniting Innovation, focuses on tackling the global threat of wildfires.

Participants are challenged to design and build custom robots capable of addressing wildfire management, containment and mitigation.

Speaking ahead of the trip, lead mentor, Mr Chidzani Matebu highlighted the team’s three-month intensive preparation period, which began in June.

“The goal is not only about winning, but about exchanging skills, learning from peers across the world and building global collaborations,” Mr Matebu noted, emphasising that the experience would equip learners with 21st-century technology skills.

Kagiso Senior Secondary School has long established itself as a premier centre for youth robotics in Botswana.

Team members shared details of their custom-built robot, which features an intake and expanding storage system designed to collect and secure simulated wildfire elements (coloured balls) to prevent their spread across the field before depositing them into containment zones.

“Wildfires destroy vegetation, wipe out wildlife habitats and contribute to climate change through carbon emissions,” said Botho Sefawe, one of the team members.

She said through robotics, they were able to find practical and technology-driven solutions to real-world environmental crises.

The school holds a strong legacy in international STEAM competitions, having previously represented Botswana at the 2024 FIRST Global Challenge in Panama, where they finished among the top 30 out of 186 participating countries.

Meanwhile, the team will wrap up its competition on October 10 and return home on October 11. ENDS