Young robotics enthusiasts Savara Sewkuran and Kiyan Anjee put their coding, problem-solving and teamwork skills to the test during a recent competition, where they programmed a robot to complete a series of tasks on a pre-set board.
For Savara, the journey into robotics began with a love for solving problems and challenging herself. “I first became interested in robotics when I realised that I like to challenge myself with problems I can solve, and I always enjoyed robotics when it was introduced to me in school,” she said.

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Savara said their coach encouraged the pair to take part in an in-house competition last year before progressing to the regional event. At the regional event, the learners programmed their robot to navigate the board, complete various challenges and collect as many points as possible to secure a second-place finish. The achievement came after weeks of preparation and additional practice sessions, including training during the school holidays. “Loads of practice went into preparing for that competition,” said Savara, “including going to extra practice during our holiday, but our results show that all of that practice paid off.

“Shock and disbelief were going through my mind because I just couldn’t believe out of all those people we placed second, which made me excited.”

For Kiyan Kanjee, an interest in technology was sparked from an early age through family influence and a curiosity about how robots work. Kiyan said joining the school robotics programme showed him how enjoyable it could be to build and programme robots and see them complete tasks independently. “The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) seemed like an exciting challenge, and our amazing robotics coaches encouraged us to take up the opportunity. It gave me a chance to learn new skills, compete with other students and do something I really enjoy.
“At the regional competition, we had to programme our school’s robot to complete a series of tasks on an obstacle course. The challenge tested our coding, problem-solving and teamwork skills because the robot had to complete the tasks accurately and within a limited time.”

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The silver award earned Savara and Kiyan a place at the WRO National Finals on September 11 and 12 at Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria. “It feels really special to have qualified for the WRO National Finals and to represent Crawford Fourways,” said Kiyan. “I am excited and a little nervous, but it shows that hard work can lead to amazing opportunities.”
While Savara is still considering whether to pursue a career in robotics, coding or engineering, Kiyan already has his sights set on technology.

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