Students from ES Kayonza Modern have developed a project using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to facilitate and ease access to education, health, and other essential information for people with visual impairments.
This project was undertaken as a preparation for the national level competition, the AI Learning Hackathon, which brings students together to use AI technology to develop projects that solve specific problems.
The competition was attended by 10 institutions from Rwanda, on March 16, 2024, at the Intare Arena, where the event to announce the winning school took place. The ceremony was attended by President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame.
The students from ES Kayonza Modern mentioned that the idea to work on this project came from the sibling of a child they share a club with at the school, who has a visual impairment. This motivated them to create technology that would ensure the person with the disability, along with others, feel included.
Their project was built using AI technology. They developed a program that requires opening on a computer and then pressing ‘backspace’ on the keyboard, after which you can speak or ask whatever you want and immediately receive an answer.
Munezero Aline, a senior six student studying Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science (MPC), represented their team.
In an interview with Kura, she expressed her surprise at receiving the award, saying, “I was overwhelmed and very happy. What comes next is that we will receive support to compete internationally. We want this program to also include the Kinyarwanda language and an e-learning section, and that is our goal from here on.”
Aline stated that their journey has just begun, and they expect to achieve much more. “We are definitely going to continue working on it, and we have seen that we can achieve anything we set our minds to.”
She thanked everyone for their support, noting, “Our teachers have been incredibly supportive; we didn’t know much, but they helped us beyond our expectations, and when we called our parents to tell them about our project, they encouraged us, telling us to keep it up.”
In the competition, Rwanda Coding Academy came in second, and Hope Haven Christian Secondary School took third place.
