KAMPALA – Uganda has claimed international recognition after winning a Gold Medal at the 2026 International Greenwich Olympiad (IGO) in London, United Kingdom, with two other Ugandan students earning Honourable Mentions for their outstanding engineering innovation.
The prestigious Olympiad is a global platform for student-led research and interdisciplinary competition, bringing together young innovators from across the world to showcase scientific, engineering and creative solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The country’s gold medal was won by Roshan Aitham Karoobi, a 13-year-old Senior One student at Light Academy Secondary School, Entebbe, whose project, “Physics in Action: How a Fruit-Picking Robot Uses Newton’s Laws of Motion,” emerged as the overall winner in the STEM Lesson Presentation category.
Meanwhile, Luke Oz Governor Mukulembeze (12) and Israel Mbonye (14), both Grade Seven students at Shekinah International School, Entebbe, received an Honourable Mention in the Engineering category for their project, “Implementing and Designing a Low-Cost Sustainable Farming Solution for Uganda.”
All three students represented Uganda under the African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) Ltd, through its flagship programme, Young Engineers Uganda.
A Gold-Winning Innovation
Roshan’s award-winning project tackled one of agriculture’s biggest challenges—labour shortages and post-harvest losses—by developing a fruit-picking robot based on Newton’s Laws of Motion.
The innovation demonstrates how affordable robotics can improve harvesting efficiency, reduce labour costs and minimise food waste, directly contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
Developed over six months, the project was entered as an individual submission against competitors from around the world. “I wanted to build something that could actually help farmers back home, not just something for a science fair,” Roshan said.
“Seeing my country’s flag next to the word ‘Gold’ is something I’ll never forget. I hope other young Ugandans know that you don’t need to come from a big country to win—you just need an idea and people who believe in you.”
Roshan’s coach, Ms Monica Arinaitwe, praised his determination throughout the project.
“When Roshan first showed me his idea for a robot that could pick fruit using the same physics we learn in class, I knew he had something special. He spent six months building, testing and rebuilding that robot. Watching him stand on that stage in London and receive the Gold Medal was one of the proudest moments of my career as an educator.”
Engineering Innovation Recognised
Luke and Israel’s engineering project focused on sustainable agriculture through an Arduino-powered automated greenhouse equipped with smart irrigation, real-time temperature monitoring and humidity control.
The low-cost system is designed to help improve agricultural productivity while making climate-smart farming technologies more accessible to Ugandan farmers.
“Our project was inspired by the challenges farmers face in Uganda. We wanted to show that innovation and technology can help improve agricultural productivity, food security and livelihoods. Participating in IGO has motivated me to continue developing solutions that create real impact,” said Israel.
Luke added: “We believe every community deserves access to clean and safe water. Our project demonstrates how science and innovation can contribute to better health, environmental sustainability and food security. This recognition encourages us to continue using STEM to solve global challenges.”
Their coach, Mr Allan Mugarura, commended the students’ commitment and resilience.
“These two boys are barely into secondary school, but they think like engineers twice their age. They rebuilt that irrigation system more times than I can count until it worked exactly as they wanted. Receiving an Honourable Mention at their first International Greenwich Olympiad speaks volumes about the future of engineering talent in Uganda.”
Uganda Shines on the Global Stage
The 2026 International Greenwich Olympiad attracted 362 finalists from 53 countries, selected from more than 1,000 registered participants worldwide.
Gold Medals were awarded only to the top project in each competition category, making Roshan’s victory one of the competition’s highest honours.
Organised by North London Grammar School, the Olympiad celebrates innovation, creativity, collaboration and youth-led research addressing real-world challenges through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Growing Uganda’s Global STEM Reputation
Uganda’s latest success adds to the growing international achievements of ASIST and Young Engineers Uganda, the country’s leading STEM and robotics education organisation, founded in 2015 by journalist Dr Arinaitwe Rugyendo.
Over the past four years, ASIST-trained students have represented Africa at the VEX Robotics World Championship in the United States, earned continental honours at the Pan-African Robotics Competition in Senegal, won Gold at the Enjoy AI Global Finals in Shanghai, China, and qualified Team Hydro Sapiens for the 2026 MATE ROV Underwater Robotics World Championship in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, making Uganda one of only two African nations to qualify.
ASIST Chief Executive Officer and IGO Team Leader, Ms Maureen Ayebare Karamagi, described the Gold Medal as a milestone for Uganda’s education sector.
“This Gold Medal proves what we have believed since we founded this organisation eleven years ago—that a Ugandan child, given the right mentorship and opportunity, can compete with the very best young minds anywhere in the world.” “Roshan’s victory belongs not only to him, but to every parent, every teacher and every Ugandan who believes our children can excel on the global stage.”
ASIST Chief Operating Officer Ms Caroline Kapere Tusiimire highlighted the teamwork required to get the students to London. “Taking three students from Uganda to compete on a global stage requires much more than a great idea. It demands months of planning, fundraising, logistics and unwavering commitment. We are incredibly proud of these students and excited about the many more young innovators coming through our programmes.”
Looking Ahead
ASIST says it will continue identifying, mentoring and supporting talented young innovators across Uganda through its national STEM programmes, to increase Uganda’s participation and success at international science, engineering and robotics competitions.