STEMpower, a pan-African charity non-governmental organization that promotes STEM education across Sub-Saharan Africa, inaugurated a new STEM center in Rwanda, located at East African Christian College (EACC), Kicukiro District.

The center is equipped with a virtual lab with 30 computers, a 3D printer, and an electronic laboratory, to help students acquire hands-on STEM skills and come up with innovations that address issues in their community.

The inauguration of the new facility comes a week after the unveiling of another center at Gitwe Adventist College, Ruhango District. STEMpower sets up the centers in partnership with SMARTAID, DHL and the Embassy of Israel in Rwanda.

Speaking at the latest inauguration event, Ambassador of Israel in Rwanda, Dr. Ron Adam, encouraged students to make good use of the center and become good scientists in the future.

He added: "The centers are here to serve the university itself, neighboring schools, and the community. They have to be opened 24/7 to serve as many people as possible. We hope to open eight additional centers next year, as we continue to impact more communities.”

Meanwhile, according to Espoir Serukiza, STEMpower Representative in Rwanda, the centers will allow students to convert theoretical knowledge into practical skills and, therefore, usher them into promising STEM careers in the future.

"STEMpower is open for collaboration and has signed MoUs with relevant institutions that offer incubation programs, in a bid to help students using the STEM centers to continue benefitting from capacity building programs, including IT, robotics and entrepreneurship among others,” he said.

"With these additional two STEM centers, we will be able to reach to more students as we avail equipment essential to realizing their academic and professional aspirations,” Serukiza added.

Enhancing hands-on STEM skills

Prof. Chosefu Chemorion, Principal of EACC said that the new center is a breakthrough for institute and the surrounding community.

"As EACC, we want to become a university in two-year time and for us to get that accreditation we have to be STEM compliant in our teaching and learning. This facility will help us in that regard, and consequently help our students to acquire modern STEM skills,” he explained.

The same sentiments were shared by Geoffrey Gakumba, Dean of Students at EACC, who said that students at the college have been facing shortage of modern and quality equipment, therefore, hindering the practical part of learning.

"We are thrilled with this STEM Center because it will allow students to do extensive research that can even turn into business ideas,” he noted.

STEMpower has so far inaugurated six STEM centers, located in University of Rwanda- College of Science and Technology, Nyarugenge District, Ines Ruhengeri, Musanze District, Kibogora Polytechnic, Nyamasheke District, University of Rwanda- College of Education, Kayonza District, Gitwe Adventist College, Ruhango District, and the latest one at East African Christian College, Kicukiro District.

There is a plan to open two more centers in Rubavu District and Gatsibo District soon, as the organization expands its footprint in the country.

About STEMpower

STEMpower is a pan-African charity non-governmental organization that has been promoting STEM education across Sub-Saharan Africa for over a decade.

The organization’s mission is to provide hands-on STEM programs to primary, secondary and university students so as to prepare them for advanced STEM studies and careers. Through hands-on lab-based STEM education, students learn real-world problem-solving and creativity, hence empowering them to lift their respective homeland from stubborn poverty.

With offices in Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, Kenya and other Sub-Saharan African countries, STEMpower has established more than 100 STEM centers on the African continent.

In Rwanda, STEMpower opened its office in May 2021 and has since opened up six STEM centers across the country.

Through close collaboration with higher-educational institutions hosting the STEM centers, students in the respective areas benefit hands-on computer and electronic skills that not only help them to better understand what they are taught theoretically in class, but also positions them to become future innovators that solve problems affecting their communities.

For more information, visit our website: www.stempower.org