Westover School Visits Maranyundo Girls School!

Last month, the students at the Maranyundo Girls School welcomed students from the Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut who traveled to Rwanda for one week to learn from each other and share memories of STEM, tinkering in the makerspace, and friendship. The MGS/Westover partnership has been strong for over 10+ years and we are excited to keep it growing.

Read below to learn more about their visit and this exciting partnership!

‍ Maranyundo and Westover students excited to learn from each other, June 2026

Welcoming the students from Westover to the Maranyundo Girls School Makerspace was a wonderful opportunity to share how STEM education is empowering the next generation of young women in Rwanda.

Members of the MGS Makerspace Club, Hearts in Technology, and FIRST LEGO Robotics Team proudly showcased their projects, shared their passions, and demonstrated how they are using innovation to solve real-world challenges. The Makerspace is open to every student—a place where curiosity, creativity, and collaboration thrive.

Westover School and Maranyundo Girls School are united by a shared belief: when girls are given the opportunity to explore, innovate, and lead, they have the power to shape a brighter future for their communities and beyond.

Learn more about each project below!

Digital Media

Students worked on developing a storyboard to make a website and a video showcasing the Makerspace & the impact of its ongoing STEM projects.

Robotics

Student learned the fundamentals of robotics by assembling and programming XRP (Experiential Robotics Platform) robots to understand how hardware and software work together.

Irrigation System

Students assembled an AG-XRP (Agricultural Experiential Robotics Platform) system, connected it to a Raspberry Pi, and collected real-time data from the soil of a plant.

App Making

Students created an app called Smart Irrigation that monitors soil moisture, humidity, and temperature to provide recommendations for improving plant health and growing conditions.

3D Printing

Students used the web app Tinkercad to design and print protective enclosures that shield the agricultural system’s microchip and electronics from water damage.

The visit highlighted the power of collaboration and the value of learning from one another. Together, Maranyundo and Westover students demonstrated that when young women are empowered through STEM education, they can inspire each other to dream bigger, think creatively, and develop solutions that make a lasting impact.

Take a look at the video below to experience the project and the trip firsthand.