LISA MICHAEL

Lisa grew up on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with her grandparents. In 2016, her grandfather invested in many lands to begin producing watermelons, only to have the harvest fail. She decided to investigate whether technology could help farmers like her grandfather increase productivity. She quickly devised a solution after joining our programs in 2016. She created an online platform where farmers can get free advice from experts. She is also developing a device that farmers can use to determine the pH of their soil. Her vision is to use technology to impact her society in a variety of ways positively.

In 2019, Lisa got a scholarship to attend African Leadership Academy in South Africa for her high school studies. At ALA, Lisa studied A-level mathematics, physics, and computer science. She also took intensive courses in African studies, writing and rhetoric, and business leadership. She worked as a co-founder, Chief Product Officer, and developer at Element Technology, a student-run software development and digital marketing company. Last month, she graduated from ALA, and she plans to attend the University of Rochester for her bachelor’s degree and hopes to expand her knowledge of electronics and robotics. She hopes to conduct research on artificial intelligence and machine learning and eventually integrate modern technology into agriculture.