Uganda Flying Labs planted a seed of belief: that STEM is for everyone, not just for a privileged few.
September 8th, 2025
In July 2025, our team journeyed to Kangai Secondary School in Kaberamaido District, Northern Uganda. The school lies in a community that has endured the scars of war but continues to stand with quiet strength and resilience. We went there not just to teach, but to inspire, to show that science and technology are not distant or unreachable, but within the grasp of even the most rural schools.
On the first day, July 30th, we met 55 students, from Senior 1 to Senior 4. Their excitement was visible from the moment we began. Many of them had never had the chance to experience practical science lessons, so the activities were a completely new experience. At first, when we asked them about the challenges in their community that they would like solved, their responses were hesitant. It wasn’t until we shared some of our own struggles and examples of problem-solving that their imaginations began to flow, and the conversation slowly opened up.
We spent the day moving from one learning station to another. In the science corner, students discovered the basics of biology, chemistry, and physics through simple experiments, learning how a balanced diet fuels the body, watching a homemade volcano erupt, and exploring the properties of light. Their laughter, questions, and wonder filled the room.
The technology corner brought even more excitement. Drones whirred in the air, laptops buzzed to life, and students wrote their first lines of code, seeing for the first time how websites are made. One student looked up from the screen, eyes wide, and said, “I never thought I could learn this. Now I want to learn more.” That single moment captured the heart of the day, the spark of possibility taking root.
The following day, July 31st, we turned our focus to the teachers. There were eight of them, drawn from subjects ranging from physics and mathematics to agriculture, geography, literature, and religious education. Among them were two women, their presence reminding us of how powerful female role models are in inspiring the next generation.
We spent the day not just training but sharing ideas, showing how STEM can be taught even with the simplest of resources. Together, we imagined how a STEM club could be formed using what the school already had, how lessons could be made more practical, and how creativity could bridge the gap left by limited materials. By the end of the day, the teachers carried away not only resources and activities but also a renewed confidence that they, too, could ignite a love for science in their classrooms.
Of course, challenges surfaced. Teachers spoke about discipline issues and how the school’s library was rarely used. Yet these challenges did not end the conversation, they became starting points. We talked about nurturing a reading culture as a first step, knowing that one small change could open doors to curiosity and deeper learning.
Our visit to Kangai was just the beginning. We are now walking alongside the school as they set up a STEM club and prepare their students to participate in national science events like the Science Summit and Science Week.
When we look back, it isn’t the experiments or the flying drones we remember most. It’s the smiles on the students’ faces, the eagerness in their voices, and the sparks in their eyes when they realized that they, too, could be part of the world of science and technology.
In Kangai, we planted a seed of belief: that STEM is for everyone, not just for a privileged few. In a community shaped by hardship but resilient at its core, we witnessed hope take root. The students began talking about ideas for tools they could create to improve their school environment, like ways to care for the yard. It was clear that the seed had begun to grow.
Years from now, these students will not be remembered as a forgotten rural school but as innovators and leaders who reshaped their future. The landscape of Kangai is changing, and dependency and doubt are slowly giving way to confidence and creativity. And it all began with a spark.
