Speaking Our Roots

The Fight to Preserve Indigenous Languages

Summer 2024

Source: Centella

Source: Centella

Dr. Walter Dr. Walter Jesús Velásquez Godoy

Educational Psychologist

Welcome to today's vlog highlight! We’re excited to introduce you to Dr. Walter Jesús Velásquez Godoy, an inspiring educator & inventor dedicated to bringing educational equity to students in the Andean mountains of Peru. Join us as we explore his groundbreaking work and the impact he's making in these communities.

The Pandemic and the Birth of the Kipi Robot:

Students didn’t return to school; instead, they remained in their communities, often without access to the internet, radio, or television. It was during this time that he conceived the idea of creating an ecological robot using recycled materials. Dr. Godoy designed and programmed software that could recognize human voices, enabling students to interact with the robot and ask it questions. Since the students were in remote communities, the robot was taken to them, staying with the children.

Dr. Godoy also developed a book for the robot, which contains over 100 lessons specifically designed to work with this educational robot. Students would open the book, start reading questions, and engage in various pedagogical activities. If they needed help, they would turn on the robot, which could answer their questions. This project began in 2020, and now, in 2024, Dr. Godoy finds it incredibly rewarding to see the project bear fruit and witness the successes and achievements that have resulted from it.

Challenges in Developing the Kipi Robot:

Dr. Godoy acknowledged the challenges he faced in his work, particularly the lack of electronic stores or materials in his isolated Andean community. To address this, ten years ago, he began recycling technological devices with his students, both to care for the environment and to reuse materials. The first version of the robot was made from these recycled materials, enabling them to create an ecological robot.

Another significant challenge Dr. Godoy encountered was realizing that they had created the first Quechua-speaking robot in the world. When he later filed for a patent, he discovered that there was no prior example of a robot that spoke Quechua, a language native to Peru. In the community where Dr. Godoy works, many children speak both Quechua and Spanish, making this a critical aspect of the project. Despite the challenges, Dr. Godoy and his team were able to continue developing the robot, expanding its Quechua vocabulary and improving its capabilities.


"Kipi, el primer robot quechua hablante del planeta, nació de nuestra necesidad de conectar con los estudiantes que quedaron sin acceso a las escuelas durante la pandemia."  

Dr. Walter Jesús Velásquez Godoy

Undated photo provided by Difusión Misión Kipi showing students working on the creation of a robot. EFE/Difusión Misión Kipi

Overcoming Distance and Isolation During the Pandemic:

Dr. Godoy recounted another major challenge: the distances between communities, especially during the pandemic when all forms of transportation were prohibited. To reach different communities, they had to rely on animals like horses, donkeys, and mules to transport the robot. Sometimes, he traveled with students, and other times he went alone, but it was a significant challenge to fulfill this educational mission.

Dr. Godoy emphasized the importance of the pedagogical aspect, particularly its focus on the social equity, on helping others, and ensuring that learning remains accessible. Despite the obstacles, he took on the responsibility of reaching all his students during the pandemic. He was responsible for 62 students, but could only reach 30 through technology, like phone calls or WhatsApp. The other 30, who lived in more remote communities without access to phone signals or radio, were the ones for whom he created the small robot. This innovation played a crucial role in helping them get through the first two challenging years of the pandemic.

Successes and Expansions of the Kipi Project:

Dr. Godoy shared one of the project's significant successes. After the first year and into the second year, he received a call from a company called Calpa Generación. They had heard about the project and its positive impact on the community and reached out to express their interest in providing more robots for the community. Dr. Godoy explained that he wasn’t running a business but an educational institution with a laboratory, and the robot was created specifically to help certain children.

At that point, the company offered to send more materials, including sensors that Dr. Godoy had requested, enabling them to build additional robots. With this support, they created seven more duplicates of the robot, named Kipi, and brought them to the seven most challenging communities in the Andean region of Huancavelica, Peru. Through these seven prototypes, they were able to reach over 300 students, significantly expanding the project's impact and multiplying their efforts.

“Kipi no solo enseña, sino que aprende de cada comunidad que visita, preservando y compartiendo el conocimiento de la rica herencia cultural de Perú.”
— Dr. Walter Jesús Velásquez Godoy

The Robot’s Cultural and Linguistic Impact:

Dr. Godoy proudly recounted how the robots began teaching more than just the basics. Kipi, the robot, learned from each community she visited, storing this knowledge in her "brain" to pass on to other students. Over the past two years, they traveled to other regions of Peru, where 48 native languages are spoken. Kipi has now stored 13 of these languages in her memory. This accomplishment is significant because, when Kipi visits a community, she not only teaches vocabulary but also promotes respect and appreciation for other cultures.

This success led to invitations for Dr. Godoy to appear on television and radio programs, and even the creation of a movie by the Ministry of Culture, directed by journalist Sonali Tuesta. The movie was filmed throughout 2023 and released nationally in 2024, reaching 70% of Peru’s 24 regions. Thousands of students watched the film, marking a significant achievement for their small community, where electricity is still a luxury in many areas.

International Recognition and Future Plans:

This year, they were invited to NABE’s 2024 annual conference, where he presented this innovative project. Dr. Godoy expressed his joy, noting, "It was a joy to share this experience with people from different nationalities." This is how the project and the Kipi robot have evolved and succeeded, expanding their reach and impact in both Peru and beyond.

Source: Centella

Future Innovations and Goals:

Dr. Godoy spoke with enthusiasm about the future of the project. Looking ahead, they plan to continue improving Kipi’s capabilities. "My students and I are developing an exciting platform where Quechua-speaking & native Peruvian children can program virtual robots and even Kipi herself," he explained. "This is significant because there is currently no programming language for children in Quechua. Our platform will be the first of its kind, and we’ve just finished the pilot plans, which are going very well."

Source: Centella

Dr. Godoy emphasized the accessibility of the platform, noting that it doesn’t require internet access; the program can simply be downloaded, making it available to everyone. With great enthusiasm, Dr. Godoy and his team are pushing the Kipi project forward, recognizing its crucial importance for their community and students.

Conclusion and Upcoming Events:

Dr. Godoy announced another exciting development for the project. "In August, we’ve been invited to another event in the United States, this time in Las Vegas, and we’re excited about this opportunity," he said. Looking ahead, he emphasized their commitment to refining Kipi’s capabilities. They are also in the process of finishing Kipi’s second book, which will be filled with more adventures aimed at inspiring reading and creativity in their students.

Join this educational revolution & discover how Kipi is transforming learning in the most remote communities of Peru.

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