Bjorn Wiedow
Bjorn Wiedow

Robotschool: Teaching robotics to Namibian kids

Wetumwene Shikage
Bjorn Wiedow has always been interested in design, engineering and the potential of IT and robotics. He chased this dream and is now a co-founder of Robotschool in Windhoek. He teaches coding to young learners and engages with them to educate them on technical development.

He completed his primary and secondary education in Windhoek and then obtained an industrial design degree from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. "I do have to say, I learned a lot while messing around in garages throughout my younger years, just as I did through academic education," he said.

His academic education helped to channel and focus his potential.



Building the future

Robotics and the whole Internet of Things (IoT) were still in their infancy when he dove into the field.

At Robotschool, "we teach kids to code and build robots, machines and harness technology," Wiedow explained.

He said the best thing about his work is never having to do the same thing twice.

"Just last week, I was working out how we could promote Robotschool. We created stickers for my beloved old-timer car, the Morris Minor," he said, to advertise the school.

He said one of the highlights of his job is to see the kids' faces turn from confusion to understanding as they start to code and create something that works.



Tough but worth it

As an entrepreneur, Wiedow said it is not easy to be your own boss, but it is hugely rewarding to know that what you are accomplishing or what you have envisioned has become a reality.

"You need to be resilient, creative, and focused on all aspects of the business. Any one thing that may seem insignificant can trip you up in the long run. Working with learners as young as four all the way up to 15-year-olds creates special challenges and gives me great respect for teachers," he said.

The entrepreneur says starting and refining a new venture allows one to do a little bit of everything, from learning how to do accounting and marketing to creating a new and exciting curriculum. He enjoys developing and testing new ideas for the innovative Robotschool curriculum.

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Currie Cup: Fidelity ADT Lions 22 vs 35 Hollywoodbets Sharks XV | NovaVit Griffons 45 vs 47 Toyota Cheetahs XV Katima Mulilo: 12° | 33° Rundu: 11° | 31° Eenhana: 11° | 33° Oshakati: 12° | 30° Ruacana: 12° | 31° Tsumeb: 14° | 27° Otjiwarongo: 9° | 26° Omaruru: 9° | 27° Windhoek: 8° | 24° Gobabis: 5° | 23° Henties Bay: 11° | 16° Swakopmund: 12° | 15° Walvis Bay: 11° | 20° Rehoboth: 5° | 22° Mariental: 5° | 19° Keetmanshoop: 4° | 16° Aranos: 5° | 20° Lüderitz: 10° | 20° Ariamsvlei: 6° | 14° Oranjemund: 10° | 15° Luanda: 19° | 21° Gaborone: 8° | 23° Lubumbashi: 12° | 31° Mbabane: 10° | 27° Maseru: 1° | 11° Antananarivo: 10° | 25° Lilongwe: 15° | 29° Maputo: 18° | 33° Windhoek: 8° | 24° Cape Town: 9° | 13° Durban: 14° | 20° Johannesburg: 8° | 16° Dar es Salaam: 21° | 31° Lusaka: 16° | 31° Harare: 14° | 28° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.47 | EUR to NAD 19.84 | CNY to NAD 2.52 | USD to NAD 18.28 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.37 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.69 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.22 | RUB to NAD 0.21 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.1 | USD to AOA 872.64 | USD to BWP 13.56 | USD to EGP 48.29 | USD to KES 130.48 | USD to NGN 1598.89 | USD to ZAR 18.31 | USD to ZMW 26.1 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1807.67 Up +1.81% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13660.65 Up +0.14% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 29090.57 Down -0.36% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9392.07 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 387.02/OZ UP +0.98% | Copper US$ 4.11/lb DOWN -0.001 | Zinc US$ 2 678.50/T DOWN -0.29% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 80.81/BBP DOWN -0.022 | Platinum US$ 935.05/OZ UP +0.34% Sport results: Currie Cup: Fidelity ADT Lions 22 vs 35 Hollywoodbets Sharks XV | NovaVit Griffons 45 vs 47 Toyota Cheetahs XV Weather: Katima Mulilo: 12° | 33° Rundu: 11° | 31° Eenhana: 11° | 33° Oshakati: 12° | 30° Ruacana: 12° | 31° Tsumeb: 14° | 27° Otjiwarongo: 9° | 26° Omaruru: 9° | 27° Windhoek: 8° | 24° Gobabis: 5° | 23° Henties Bay: 11° | 16° Swakopmund: 12° | 15° Walvis Bay: 11° | 20° Rehoboth: 5° | 22° Mariental: 5° | 19° Keetmanshoop: 4° | 16° Aranos: 5° | 20° Lüderitz: 10° | 20° Ariamsvlei: 6° | 14° Oranjemund: 10° | 15° Luanda: 19° | 21° Gaborone: 8° | 23° Lubumbashi: 12° | 31° Mbabane: 10° | 27° Maseru: 1° | 11° Antananarivo: 10° | 25° Lilongwe: 15° | 29° Maputo: 18° | 33° Windhoek: 8° | 24° Cape Town: 9° | 13° Durban: 14° | 20° Johannesburg: 8° | 16° Dar es Salaam: 21° | 31° Lusaka: 16° | 31° Harare: 14° | 28° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.47 | EUR to NAD 19.84 | CNY to NAD 2.52 | USD to NAD 18.28 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.37 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.69 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.22 | RUB to NAD 0.21 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.1 | USD to AOA 872.64 | USD to BWP 13.56 | USD to EGP 48.29 | USD to KES 130.48 | USD to NGN 1598.89 | USD to ZAR 18.31 | USD to ZMW 26.1 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1807.67 Up +1.81% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13660.65 Up +0.14% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 29090.57 Down -0.36% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9392.07 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 387.02/OZ UP +0.98% | Copper US$ 4.11/lb DOWN -0.001 | Zinc US$ 2 678.50/T DOWN -0.29% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 80.81/BBP DOWN -0.022 | Platinum US$ 935.05/OZ UP +0.34%