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As a child Solomon King Benge loved Eric Laithwaite\u2019s 1974 book The Engineer in Wonderland, based on the mechanical engineer\u2019s 1966 Royal Institution Christmas lectures. After reading it he asked his physics teacher if he and his classmates might try some of Laithwaite\u2019s practical experiments, but was told: \u201cDon\u2019t waste your time with this. This is not important, because it\u2019s not in the curriculum.\u201d 

The rejection promoted Benge to launch Fundi Bots in 2011. The social education initiative aims to give education a stronger practical focus, a move away from learning by rote in front of a blackboard. Last year it reached 22,000 students, most of them in Uganda, and hopes eventually to cover one million across Africa.

Robotics is a key component of the program. Benge recalls one child in northern Uganda who built a sensor-driven robot and was asked what he might do with it. He said: \u201cI think I can now create something that lets the goats out of the pen in the morning so that I don\u2019t have to wake up early.\u201d

Benge tells the How to save humanity in 17 goals podcast series: \u201cIt was hilarious for us, but a very real testament of once you empower children and make learning meaningful, then they actually begin looking at the practical applications of that learning.\u201d

The educator and entrepreneur describes how Fundi Bots addresses SDG 4 and its aim to deliver quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030.

Each episode in the series features researchers whose work addresses one or more the targets. The first six episodes are produced in partnership with Nature Food, and introduced by Juliana Gil, its chief editor.

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