About Robots Mali
Our mission: To develop the scientific culture in Mali and to shine the Malian youth on the international scene.
Our motto: “Learning robotics is not a game, it’s the future of our country. “
In the past, Africa’s potential wealth was discussed in relation to its vast natural resources. Today, we recognize that the real driver of economic development is technology — for the nations of Africa and elsewhere. The natural resources that matter now are our brains!
And robotics in all this? These are not humanoid robots imagined by Hollywood and made famous in science fiction movies. A robot is simply a computing machine capable of interacting with the physical world to perform certain tasks. Our computers are becoming robots and there are already thousands of other devices that are actually robots around us.
To understand robotics is to understand the world of today. A robotics course includes learning mathematics, programming, science, engineering, electrical and electronic systems, mechanics, communication, and even studying many thorny issues of law and order. ‘ethics.
At first, robotics can appear to children as a very fun game. But rather quickly and inevitably, it attracts them to science and knowledge that is highly useful for their future, and the future of their country.
In 2017 Mali created its first national high school and college teams in robotics, with the motto “Together, let’s show the world that Mali’s youth has talent. “ Deal ! Our high school team, Team Mali, even won a silver medal in a competition in the United States that brought together 157 countries. We do not need to insist that Malian and Malian young people can master technology. This is proven thing!
The team that won the silver medal received unusual training for Mali. RobotsMali seeks to perpetuate the key elements of this training and to benefit as many young people as possible. Many of our children, amazed by the feat of Team Mali, asked us “Can I do that? The answer must be “Of course! “
RobotsMali now has robots, equipment, and a well-appointed space for pedagogy. We are currently developing a curriculum in robotics adapted to our country, first in French but also in national languages. Thanks to our pedagogical laboratory, we have also started to train trainers, one of the key elements of our mission. If Robots Mali wants to be the main training site in robotics in Mali, our goal is to start teaching STEM subjects in all schools in the country.
Robotics is just starting to appear in university curricula in Mali. So our Center works in collaboration with several universities to enable them to offer their students the opportunity to learn robotics.
Africa participates very little in the international networks of technology, yet so necessary to any technical progress. We then seek to host entrepreneurial initiatives and coordinate research projects with our university partners and other educational organizations in Africa and around the world.
National teams at the college, high school and university levels are selected, supervised and accompanied by the Center.At Pan-African competition in Senegal 2018:
- The college team reported the first place with an autonomous robot able to simulate an intervention during an epidemic.
- The high school team had the third place with a robot that intervenes in a chemical lab where we design drugs
- The university team, my team won the first place with an AI system that assists the visually impaired (blind)
Mali remembers its history as a great country of knowledge. We have never forgotten it. Our tradition shows us the way to a new era, as a great country of science, proud and in love with its robots!
