Background Reasoning

Every child should receive a thorough and quality education

"Robotics, as an innovative field of knowledge, adds value to the training of young people, awakening vocational aspirations, broadening horizons and creating bridges with the increasingly digital job market. Its transversality with other subjects in the school curriculum also offers teachers new methodological possibilities and students a more dynamic, contextualized, and meaningful learning experience." – ChildFund

The right to a quality education is outlined in Article 26 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The National Common Curriculum Base – Brazil's country wide curriculum standard – emphasizes the importance of children being introduced to science and technology early on. However, many public schools across Brazil, especially those in rural areas, have structural and instructional limitations that prevent children from receiving a rounded education. Science is one subject that is particularly lacking – with schools having inadequate and improperly supplied classrooms and labs, as well as poor training for teachers. And rural schools are at a disadvantage as compared against urban schools. According to ChildFund, many young people remain unaware of the opportunities that may exist for them in this sector.

Without proper early introduction to these topics, it is hard for students to have the knowledge and confidence needed to pursue these fields later in life. An early introduction opens up a pathway to tackle STEM subjects at university or go on to have careers in these fields. The lack of STEM in rural Brazil widens the digital divide, and puts rural children at a particular disadvantage. In Veredinha, a rural community located in the southeast State of Minas Gerais, this was the reality for secondary school aged children prior to this innovative project. With proper laboratory equipment, robotics programming and empowered educators, these children have a fighting chance and a better hope for the future. That's why we are supporting Childfund in an effort to change the trajectory for current students, and many more in the future, by bringing scientific equipment and robotics programming into schools. And this isn't our first foray into transformative technology education in Brazil. As early as 2009, we joined with Vida Jovem (Boys Hope Girls Hope Brazil) in São Paulo for an expansion of a computer learning center.

The Robotics Workshops

In these workshops, students solve problems in groups, exploring STEM subjects in "unplugged" lessons before moving to more complex concepts. Workshops vary by age group. For early elementary students, activities are playful and introductory, teaching concepts such as direction, sequencing, counting steps and shape recognition, connecting directly with literacy and basic math skills while encouraging teamwork, creativity and problem solving. Older students participate in online research, mechanism building, and programming that strengthens computational and problem solving skills. They are introduced to basic logic and programming with flowcharts for visual planning, before writing code. Then, building the robotics kits together, they complete the challenge with educational games, fostering teamwork.

Results By Numbers

In the initial year, a pilot project helped a single school obtain lab equipment, provided technical support resources, and trained teachers how to continue the program after the pilot ended. The pilot was deemed so successful, it was expanded to include seven additional schools. Fortuitously, an exchange rate fluctuation allowed ChildFund to establish a robotics lab and train two teachers at an additional school. By Spring of 2026:

• An implementation and training plan was established at startup meetings held with 5 key local partners. Curriculum review and lesson planning took place to help teachers plan lessons to integrate their new tools (laptops, robots, programming software, etc.) for hands-on learning aligning with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC).
• 56 computers were procured and distributed across seven schools (the eighth already had laptops in place). Outside of the robotics workshops, the computers provide better access to online learning materials, research libraries and updated technology.
• 84 robotics kits were procured and distributed across eight schools, with a one-to-one ratio for each child during the workshops at the seven schools initially planned, and 10 for the additional school that was added. These small robots were sourced by the Brazilian company Zöy using recycled plastic.
• Teacher trainings were held across the 7 target schools to prepare the staff to begin integrating robotics and technology into their classroom curriculum. These practical, hands-on robotics kit and science training workshops educated teachers on how to build, program and use the new robotics kits, and how to practically integrate technology and science into their classrooms. 68 teachers were trained, because of such high interest. Trainings had been initially planned for only eighteen teachers. The Zöy team, which conducted initial student
• Feedback mechanisms were created and implemented, including baseline (skills, knowledge, and expectations) and end-result assessments. At launch, 274 students and 66 teachers in seven schools who participated in initial workshops (ages 7-8 at one school and ages 13-16 at the others) and provided valuable feedback.
• By Spring 2026, the program had reached 704 students and 68 teachers directly. It should benefit 3,369 more as the robotics programming is integrated into science curriculum school wide.

While the program was planned to be uniformly implemented, it was ultimately adapted according to time availability and age group. This unexpected result revealed the robotics workshops' applicability in different contexts. Further, Childfund reported, "The students' receptiveness exceeded all expectations. They showed enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment throughout the training process. Many signaled an interest in continuing to learn about robotics and were willing to act as student mentors as the program is implemented school wide, sharing the knowledge they acquired with their peers. This attitude revealed the transformative potential of the project and reinforces the importance of investing in initiatives that value youth leadership. Additionally, we were able to engage teachers who were initially more hesitant to join the trainings - due to time commitment as well as lack of prior knowledge of these technologies -which represented an important victory for the program."

Student Feedback

Students provided feedback including, "It was quite challenging for us; we had never encountered robotics before. Now, we realize that it is achievable and these skills are not beyond our reach" and "I once believed that robotics was merely a concept portrayed in films; now, it has become a part of our educational curriculum."

Based on the pre and post-surveys done with students, and additional feedback collected during monitoring visits, the program methodology and structure met the expectations of students and teachers. The approach sparked interest, promoted engagement, and provided a meaningful learning experience. However, the consensus was that the time allocated for workshops (for both students and teachers) was insufficient, especially considering the complexity and novelty of the robotics theme. More time would have further enhanced the training process, increasing the comprehension of content and strengthened participant autonomy. More time on each training component would allow the incorporation of more complex challenges and strengthen the link with robotics as a tool for educational transformation. Read their story here.

What's Next?

ChildFund suggests that, according to government statistics, public schools have an average annual student intake of approximately 10%. Based on this reference, in a group of schools serving approximately 4,000 students, we can expect about 400 new enrollments each year. Over a five-year period, this represents a potential of 2,000 new students. With this projection, the robotics program is estimated to reach over 6,000 students in five years, significantly expanding its impact on educational and technological development. As ChildFund puts it, "Together with partners, we're not just preparing young people for jobs — we're preparing them to lead." Stay tuned for more results as they come to us.