Bulawayo Teen Robotics Team Builds Low-Cost Flood Sensor

 

A team of five teenagers from Pumula South High debuted a home-built flood-alert device last week, inspired by the city’s recurring storm drain overflows.

Using recycled plastic, old phone batteries and a repurposed motion sensor, the prototype sends a WhatsApp alert when water rises above a set level.

City engineers who tested the device said it could be deployed cheaply across vulnerable areas — at under US$12 per unit. The project has has captured growing online admiration, especially from diaspora engineers offering mentorship.