France, June 15 -- Gabriel Kondesi was 21 years old in 2009 when the police arrested him for running a radio station without a licence. The school dropout had constructed the station himself three years prior, using three small transistor radios, car batteries, TV aerials, wires, and a radio cassette player. Now, he's one of several young people honing skills thanks to a scholarship programme at a technology institution.

The police were following the law but people were outraged at his arrest, believing the young man was genius and needed to be promoted rather than punished. He received overwhelming public support including finances to settle the fine.

More than a decade later, Kondesi's passion for electronics has received a boost, alb...