Abdul Malik Tejan-Sie is not your average innovator. He is a Sierra Leonean who came to South Africa with only $3 in his pocket, but he had a vision to create something that would change the world. He is the founder of the African School of Technology, and the developer of the first operational humanoid robot in South Africa.

His story is one of courage, perseverance, and passion. He faced many challenges and obstacles, but he never gave up on his dream. He learned everything he could about artificial intelligence, robotics, and web development, and he applied his skills to create a robot that can speak, interact, and perform tasks.

He was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 1992. He grew up in a family of six siblings, and he was always curious about how things worked. He attended the Methodist Boys High School, where he excelled in mathematics and science. He also developed an interest in law, and he wanted to become a lawyer.

He started his journey in robotics when he was 13 years old, when he got his first computer. He was fascinated by how machines could be programmed to do different things. He taught himself how to code using online resources and books. He also joined local robotics clubs and competitions, where he met other enthusiasts and mentors.

He decided to pursue higher education in IT, and he came to South Africa in 2013. He graduated from Durban Computer College with Cum Laude in 2014, and then he went to India, where he earned several certifications in Oracle, Microsoft, Cisco, Ethical Hacking, and ITIL. He also worked as a junior developer for a company for a few months.