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Help found Namibia's first robotics league!
FIRST Robotics is a global leader in robotics education, active in 110+ countries with 3.2 million youth participants since 1989, 83% of which go on to pursue STEM degrees in college!
FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is one of their most accessible programs for students aged 9-16. Students design, build, and program LEGO robots and develop an innovation project to help their communities. All the while, they build crucial life skills, such as problem solving, independent learning, collaboration, self-confidence, and perseverance!
Namibia is the only country in southern Africa that does not have a FLL program, but they couldn't be more ready!
Our Story
Project Founder Reilly Desai is a senior undergraduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) studying robotics engineering. She recently had the opportunity to complete a study-abroad program in Namibia, where she conducted research on educational robotics program. This culminated in running a robotics bootcamp with students in Namibia's rural north, with help of her project sponsor Africa Productivity Specialists (APS). Students there rarely get to use computers and had never used robots, yet they completed robotics challenges with algorithms taught in WPI's sophomore-level courses. The best part: they followed a self-guided curriculum, meaning they taught themselves all of this in only four days!
As a FIRST Alum herself, growing up in FLL and founding FTC 17009 Steel Magnolias, Reilly realized very quickly that these students would benefit from long-term robotics education. So, she assembled a team to make it happen.
Joining forces with APS, FIRST South Africa, and Physically Active Youth (PAY, a local non-profit after-school program), we are excited to launch FLL Namibia for the 2026 season. But we need your help!
Our Ask
Founding a whole league takes some financial support. Your donation will be used to help fund all expenses for:
- 12 Initial Teams
- Registration
- Robots & Parts
- Team Shirts & Competition Supplies
- National Competition
- Winner advances to represent Namibia!
- International Competition
- Travel to South Africa!
- Compete against winning teams from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, & Botswana
- Chance to go to Worlds!
Please contact Reilly Desai for more information!
Organizer
