Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
A GRADE 6 pupil at Runyararo Primary School, Willard Mangwenzi, has been showing signs that he could be a genius in engineering.
His ability to design and build movable objects, using limited resources, has caught a lot of attention. The 12-year-old has been demonstrating a rare talent for engineering from a very young age.
His family said his interest in how things work began when he was just two.
He would take toys apart just to try and understand their internal mechanisms.
Willard’s inspiration appears to come from his mother, who is skilled in crocheting and home designs. A neighbour, who repairs bicycles, appears to have exposed him to mechanical repairs.
“These influences have shaped Willard into a self-taught young innovator. He is the only boy in the family.
“He started making toys while he was very young.
“At two-years-old, he used to destroy all the toys bought for him so that he could see how they were made,” said a family member.
Earlier this month, Willard was identified during a local talent show by Kaybee Entertainment Company.
The organisation’s founder, Blessed “Manager Kaybee” Mafuwu described Willard as a young innovator with an “engineering mind” and strong problem-solving abilities.
Kaybee said plans are underway to provide him with a professional tool kit and to enable him to move beyond improvised materials.
“We didn’t just see a child making toys, we saw an innovator with a rare engineering mind.
“The fact that he was dismantling toys at the age of two to understand their mechanics shows a high level of intelligence and curiosity.
“His ability to turn trash into treasure by scouting rubbish pits for components demonstrates the kind of problem-solving mindset that defines great inventors.
“We saw a unique blend of his mother’s creative design skills and his neighbour’s technical repair skills, creating a well-rounded talent that is both functional and aesthetic.
“We are moving beyond just scouting to active resource mobilisation and exposure. We are launching a ‘Tools for Talent’ drive to provide Willard with a professional tool kit (including precision screwdrivers, soldering irons, and safe cutting tools) so he no longer has to rely on scavenged scraps.” He added:
“We will work with Runyararo Primary School and the Chikomba District office to ensure he has a secure space, a ‘mini-lab’ where he can work without fear of his creations being stolen or damaged.
“Our vision is to turn ‘Raw Talent into a Career.’ By 2030, we want to establish a creative and innovation incubation hub in Zimbabwe.
“Willard is exactly the type of youth who would transition from a ‘toy maker’ to a student of mechanical engineering or robotics under our mentorship.
“We aim to provide a 360-degree support system for rural innovators. This means not just giving them tools but teaching them about Intellectual Property (IP) so they can eventually patent their designs.
“Through our partnership with Country Side Adventures, we plan to take innovators like Willard on ‘inspiration tours’ to see large-scale machinery and zipline engineering in person, expanding his horizon of what is possible,” he said.
Mathew Masinge