ROBOTICS | More Than Just a Machine
Children worldwide possess different passions, skills, and education levels that often remain untapped and underinvested due to the lack of funding, interest in the student’s ability, access to technology and more. But that is not the case with Christian Relief Fund schools and programs. We want to empower boys and girls to find their purpose.
While visiting our programs in Nicaragua, CRF Executive Director Kevin Wasner and I had the opportunity to meet two sisters who are avidly pursuing their passion. Isabella and Yuliana Morales found an interest in Robotics through schooling and with the encouragement of CRF Leon program director Esteban Valle-Garcia, who helped connect them with the Nicaraguan Robotics Center. The sisters have built a strong relationship with the director of the robotics center allowing them to learn, free of charge, multiple programming languages as they build their LEGO robotic kit with advanced programming. During our visit, we presented the sisters with an additional LEGO kit, allowing them to have a second one for practice and competitions.
They competed at the world level last year, where Yuliana won in the Elementary level. This year the sisters have their eyes set on competing in the World Robotics Olympiad (WRO) National Qualifier in Nicaragua this September. If they win in their age division, they will be able to attend the WRO Contest in Panama City, Panama in November.
Robotics has given Isabella and Yuliana an opportunity for a life beyond high school, which most girls do not have. Through their dedication to robotics, they not only have gained technical skills, but it has ignited in them a passion for higher education in the STEM fields, instilling discipline, teamwork, logic, and a profound sense of purpose.
We hope this story of Isabella and Yuliana is just one of many opportunities CRF children around the world will have to pursue their dream of a careers in robotics, engineering, medicine, education, business, applied arts, and more, especially in regards to helping young girls grow up to break the cycle of poverty through education and technology.