Maycoll Gamarra, a 23-year-old UPC Industrial Engineering student and Mechatronics graduate, identified at an early age the importance of technology and how it can be used to positively influence people’s lives.
It was his love of the movie Iron Man that sparked Maycoll’s curiosity with technology, and in particular, robotics. This, along with his creative mind, led him to volunteering in STEAM activities at fairs and events in his local municipality.
“I understood that through technology, things can come to life,” Maycoll says.
With this passion, Maycoll founded Robbuild, a social enterprise teaching robotics to children aged 8 to 17 years, with a focus on STEAM education (an approach to teaching and learning that combines science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math to guide student inquiry, discussion and problem solving).
Since 2020, Robbuild has seen more than 2,800 children participate in its free workshops, hosting as many as 100 children at a time, with sessions run by up to 20 volunteers. Their workshops were initially held in person at Cibertec, until moving online as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns.
Maycoll was awarded a UPC Protagonists of Change award for his work with Robbuild in 2022, which has given him access to coaches who are helping him develop his social enterprise. He is also the winner of the Youth for Lima 2021 award, granted by the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima for work in the community.
Maycoll is clear of his intentions in teaching STEAM. “This is my purpose in life,” he says. “I dream of growing Robbuild, and having offices in every region across Peru.”
He is mindful of the digital divide and would especially like to reach those communities that are less familiar with technology and connectivity – very much like what he experienced as a child.
“My goal is that through technology, kids can be champions of their own learning.”
