Despite not having many role models in the science and technology field, 28-year-old Rachel Kumwenda-Kaunda is an earth scientist.

She is the last born of five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Kumwenda.

Rachel defied the odds and grew up to fulfill her dream.

She is also a drone pilot and founder of Drone Link which provides mining, environment, agriculture, construction, health and other development operators with cost-effective mapping and imaging solutions using drones and digital technology.

This helps planning and informed choices.

She explains: “Growing up, I did not have a lot of role models in the science and technology field. When I got selected to pursue science at Chancellor College and was introduced to geospatial science, I got interested in it and used it for a project where I developed a model for earthquake-prone areas in Karonga. After I graduated, I enrolled for a course at African Drone and Data Academy where I got my certificate in drone and data technology.”

Married to Gift Kaunda since 2021, Rachel grew up in Bangwe Township, Blantyre, from where she pursued both her primary and secondary school education.

She then proceeded to the University of Malawi (Chancellor College) to obtain her bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences in 2019.

She went on to read for a certificate in Drone and Data Technology from the African Drone and Data Academy before founding her initiative to solve the various challenges the country is facing.

“I am presently heading the Drone Link team in developing creative solutions to address distinct social issues. I am also one of the leaders of Open-Street-Map Malawi, a non-profit organisation that contributes to open-source data via remote mapping of buildings, roads and other important infrastructure for disaster management,” says the young woman who likes reading, playing the guitar and basketball.

Drone Link has gone on to develop geospatial solutions with mines in Balaka and Lilongwe.

It was recently contracted by Unicef/GLOBHE as one of the local drone companies to respond to the mapping of Cyclone Freddy which devastated Malawi and displaced thousands of families, killing over 600 people.

“Together with other partners, we assisted humanitarian organisations with resource allocation by mapping accessibility to places using drones, damage assessment and camp conditions, among other things.

“Engineers have also utilised the data to aid in the restoration of damaged roads and bridges. As part of the emergency response, we were able to map large areas quickly and provide timely data,” she says.

Apart from the above achievements, in 2022, Rachel was among the four entrepreneurs who represented Malawi at the YouthConnekt Africa summit in Rwanda.

The trip was made possible with support from the United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Population Fund.

“This was a huge opportunity that helped to spotlight my business and opened me up to international networks. I was later supported by the African Union to participate as an African regional entrepreneur in a geospatial business meeting in Rwanda later in the year.

“I have also recently been selected as one of the 15 start-ups in Africa to participate in a start-up development programme in Ivory Coast at the NewSpace in Africa conference,” she explains.

Looking to the future, Rachel plans to upscale drone technology and diversify its applications, while also offering more employment opportunities to young people in the country to help in economic development.

Through the Drone Link which was registered in 2021, Rachel is currently providing employment opportunities to three young people.

Apart from that, she also mentors and motivates young women and men in science and technology, something she did not have while growing up.

She acknowledges that she is doing this considering that the lack of role models in science was one of the biggest challenges she faced while growing up, which had her confined to only a few careers.

It was only after she got to university that she managed to find what she is passionate about.

“This challenge made me realise the need for mentorship and motivation for young people from as early as primary schools. I have reached young people in schools, young women studying information technology through Plan International Malawi and Airtel Malawi professional women through mHub,” she explains.

She is also running an internship programme, training young people in drones and data technology.

Her dream is to see many young people coming up with innovations to help solve the many challenges currently facing Malawi.

She says: “With the coming of the Internet and digitalisation, we can easily find books and learn from other people worldwide, which gives us an advantage compared to years back. Additionally, digital innovations are borderless, meaning that it really doesn’t matter where you are, but the solution you have offered.”

Advising younger girls across the country, Rachel highlights that innovations require a mind and not gender and encourages them to take lead positions and be bold.

“Even if something did not go the way you planned, you should become adaptive in situations,” she says.

She finishes with a quote by Steve Jobs which says: “You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” n

The post Rachel — drone pilot and drone link founder first appeared on The Nation Online.