KUTLWANO Tshatiwa dreams of becoming a scientist and changing lives.
And to kick-start his dreams, the 17-year-old from Madikwe outside Rustenburg, North West, has been selected to be part of the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists. In the science competition, pupils have the chance to showcase their projects on their scientific investigations.
The annual fair selected pupils from 35 expo regions in South Africa to compete against other young scientists from around the world.
Kutlwano shared that he started working on his app, AIDoctor, when he was 13. The artificial intelligence-powered Android app was aimed to offer assistance with medical diagnosis.
“The app has an option to upload a photo, and will pick up the condition and give a diagnosis,” he said.
His mum Tebogo Tshatiwa said Kutlwano had always shown interest in technology by using phones and laptops from a young age.
“He’s the one who fixes our phones. He will find a way to do things without any help,” she said.
Gabonewe Secondary School principal Samuel Mokoena said the school was proud of Kutlwano.
“We wish him the best. Kutlwano is already a winner,” he said.
Bojanala Platinum District Municipality Mayor Matlakala Nondzaba committed to donating monthly data to assist him. She said they had provided accommodation to ensure that Kutlwano did not experience any hiccups since he was struggling with network where he lived.
She also encouraged him to focus on his dreams.
“Never give up. Don’t ever let negative peer pressure get you to end up doing the wrong things.”
The expo will take place in Atlanta in Georgia, USA, from 7–13 May, and Kutlwano will be participating virtually.
