Students from high school to PhD level gathered at AIMS Rwanda in Kigali on August 18 for Africa Science Week 2025. Over four days, participants engaged in hands-on training in coding, data analysis, innovation, and science communication. The program aimed to emphasise practical applications of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills in fields such as medicine and software development, highlighting how science education can drive real-world problem-solving across disciplines. ALSO READ: New data science scheme seeks to empower Rwanda’s policymakers Prof. Sam Yala, President of AIMS Rwanda, said the event presented the opportunity for them to showcase African innovation and build platforms for knowledge exchange. Participants came from diverse academic backgrounds, including medicine, and the workshop was intentionally designed to be inclusive. Dr. Lema Lugamu-Seknuna, a trainer from AIMS Research and Innovation Centre, who also led a Python programming workshop during Africa Science Week, said the workshop was designed to be inclusive. “This s why the participants were from diverse backgrounds. It doesn’t matter whether you’re from a mathematical background or not. What matters is where the data comes from and whether you have the knowledge to process it and create a product,” he said. ALSO READ: Experts highlight need to embrace tech-led data analysis Student’s feedback Jeanette Niyomugabo, a fifth-year medical student, was one of the participants in the Python programming workshop. Initially uncertain about whether coding had any place in her field, she decided to apply out of curiosity and a willingness to try something new. “I came here expecting to learn basic coding skills, and when I saw the immediate results of the commands I gave to Python, it gave me confidence that this is something I can learn and use, because it is practical,” she said. She explained how programming could help her track patient data and improve daily tasks in a hospital setting. “Instead of writing everything manually, I can give Python a command and it gives me the results. That’s real-life problem-solving.” Walter Nkusi, a high school student studying software development at APADE in Bugesera, described the four-day training as both eye-opening and productive. Before attending, he had only a surface-level understanding of Python, but the sessions deepened his skills and gave him confidence to apply them in his academic work. “These four days have been insightful. I learned about Python, and now I can’t wait to start using it in my studies and research.”
