An estimated 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills in 2030, according to a report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). One programme supporting young Africans to take advantage of these opportunities is the continent’s biggest youth digital skills initiative, SAP Africa Code Week (ACW) which actively engaged +2,6 million participants in 2022, by equipping them with 21st-century skills. “Since ACW’s launch in 2015, SAP, UNESCO, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and Irish Aid share a common goal to empower young people with the digital skills set they need today to ensure they are prepared for the workforce of tomorrow,” comments Claire Gillissen-Duval, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA and MEE at SAP.

She says that through 37 121 workshops held across the continent, she is thrilled to report that more than 48% of participants were female, with an additional 9,900 youth with special needs. “Today’s digital world is continually evolving and changing through the rapid adoption of technology, this is widening Africa’s digital divide with even more marginalized and underserved communities getting left behind.”

Collaboration is key to powering digital learning

Partnerships are at the core of the SAP ACW model. In 2022, Morocco has led the continent’s conversation around equipping young people with digital skills, followed by Nigeria and Cameroon. “This year, we saw 1,4 million participants from Morocco, 100 000 in Nigeria, and in Cameroon, we had 897 000,” says Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information. “One of the reasons behind the major success of ACW in those countries, and especially in Morocco, has been partnering with the governments and particularly, with the Ministries of Education. To illustrate this, Ilham Laaziz, Director of the GENIE program at the Moroccan The Ministry of National Education, Early Education, and Athletics, highlights that the Moroccan government has deployed several initiatives to integrate digital skills in schools. “Joining forces with the private sector has proven to result in a powerful synergy. Beyond launching a generation of future coders, we seek to develop the algorithmic mindset that will enable them to acquire logical reasoning skills and problem-solving skills they need to lead successful careers and contribute to the development of our country – and our continent.”

Coding Africa’s school curricula

Over the past seven years, close to 14 million students and teachers from 48 countries have been empowered with digital skills through ACW. 2023 will now see the coding program shift into the second phase by accelerating this process even further to ensure greater impact and reach.

“There are approximately 300 million young people in Africa, and our goal is to empower each and every one of them with digital skills,” says Emmanuel Raptopoulos, President of SAP’s EMEA South region, which includes Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “A vision like ours requires all stakeholders to work together and collaborate for the betterment of the continent and its future leaders. This is why the ACW curriculum will be handed to governments to support them in introducing coding into school curricula.”

Commencing the two-year action plan, ACW hosted a three-day event in Morocco in Rabat which was attended by various government officials and education representatives from ten African countries. The gathering marked the start of a two-year transition period, where governments will play an even greater role in fostering the adoption of coding by running the ACW program as part of their curricula.

“This was the start of a bigger vision which calls for governments to play a bigger role in encouraging the use of coding in schools by implementing the ACW program into their curricula,” says Julius Fomboh, Inspector General of Pedagogy in charge of Computer Science Education in the Ministry of Secondary Education in Cameroon, and member of the ACW transition taskforce. “In order for the continent to successfully equip young people with the skills required for the future, all stakeholders need to come together and unite.”

Gillissen-Duval concludes, “To date, nine African countries have officially adopted coding as a mandatory subject in public education. This number must grow to level the playing field and ensure every African child, youth and teacher has the opportunity to reach their potential and contribute to their community. By investing in digital education, African nations choose to create a better future for their citizens and equip them with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing 21st century world.”

Last week we celebrated World Creativity and Innovation Day, which is observed annually on 21 April. Launched by the United Nations, the aim is to encourage the world to embrace innovation to harness the economic potential of nations. This could be through job creation as well as expanding opportunities for everyone, including women and youth.

Innovation can provide solutions to some of the most pressing problems, such as poverty eradication and the elimination of hunger. At Africa Code Week (ACW), we recognise that through creativity and innovation, we can ensure African Youth and teachers are equipped for the jobs of the 21st century.

"This is why ACW encourages creativity and innovation through technology,” explains Olajide Ademola Ajayi, ACW’s Global Coordinator. “Africa’s Technology industry is estimated to be worth $4.77 billion and is expected to double in growth by 2030 with the youth population driving this trend.”

The proof is in the pudding: ACW results speak for themselves

“The ACW programme was born, to improve the digital skills of Africa’s youth and teachers while empowering them to use creativity and innovation to solve some of the content’s most pressing issues. Since our launch in 2015, SAP, UNESCO, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), and Irish Aid, we are proud to have empowered over 14 million students and teachers from 48 countries with digital skills on our quest to make sure no one is left behind in the evolution of technology and its benefits,” highlights Claire Gillissen-Duval, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA MEE at SAP and co-founder of ACW.

“Innovation and creativity is really what shines through in our AfriCAN Code Challenge,” says Gillissen-Duval. “We get to see young people between the ages of 8 and 16 from all over the continent come up with solutions that could solve local community issues.”

For example, she adds that in 2022, they are tasked with developing a multiplayer game that proposes a sustainable solution for protecting life. “The submitted projects were phenomenal and a true reflection of the talent and creative thinking behind African youth. We are proud to see this creativity and innovation over the years and can’t wait to see what will come to fruition in the future.”

The power of partnerships bears fruit

Did you know that there are approximately 300 million young people in Africa, and ACW’s goal is to empower every one of them with digital skills?

“In order to reach more young people, ACW has been working with various African governments to make digital skills accessible to young people from underserved and underrepresented communities. And for the next two years, we will be taking this partnership into the next step and handing over the ACW curriculum to African governments to include it in their school curricula,” says Sunil Geness, Director of Government Affairs at SAP Africa.

“Not only will this equate to economic growth and better employment opportunities, but it will enable an inclusive and diverse tech industry in the continent, which on its own could boost creativity through the diversity of thought and ideas,” Geness concludes.

For the third consecutive year, Africa Code Week’s AfriCAN Code Challenge (ACC) continues to grow in popularity and reach. The winner of this year’s ACC 2022 edition was handed to the Ravinalo Project developed by Henintsoa, Warren and Shekinah from Madagascar.

“From start to finish, this has been one of the most exciting editions of ACC. The youth of Africa have yet again proven their talents and strong 21st century skillset with creative and conceptual games delivered,” says Olajide Ademola Ajayi, SAP ACW Global Coordinator.

AfriCAN Youth rise for the coding challenge

The AfriCAN Code Challenge is a coding contest that spans across Africa, inviting all-young individuals from different walks of life from 8 - 16 year to develop a game using the Scratch programming language.

This year’s competition saw thousands of entries from more than 30 countries spanning as far as South Africa and Ethiopia. In September 2020, SAP Africa Code Week launched the challenge with support from partners such as UNESCO, Irish Aid, and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).

Over the years, the competition has evolved into an annual event that celebrates the creativity and technological skills of African youth. For the 2022 challenge, youths were called upon to develop a multiplayer game that proposes a sustainable solution for protecting life. Thereafter, they were asked to create and share a 3-minute YouTube video that details how their game works, the coding techniques used, and how it aligns with the theme and evaluation standards.

The winners of the AfriCAN Code Challenge were selected by a distinguished panel consisting of Africa Code Week delegates, SAP employees, and STEM education specialists.

This year’s Top 3 winners:

First place: Madagascar - Ravinalo by Henintsoa, Warren, and Shekinah
Second place: Mauritius - Mission Reboot by Nikhil, Mithil, Seeya, Grace, and Kesha
Third place: Nigeria - Chase 'N' Recycle by Team Techlite

Followed by:

4. Sao Tome & Principe - Saving the World
5. Morocco - Golden Planet
6. Ethiopia - Mission Re
7. Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's Heros
8. South Africa - Eco World
9. Cameroon - Reboisons Notre Terre
10. Gabon - Ntoutoume Evan

Beyond AfriCAN Code Challenge

Research shows that the digital participation could assist in driving the economic growth and development of Africa. This suggests that increased investment in digital infrastructure and skills could have a significant impact on the continent's economic development.

Claire Gillissen-Duval, Senior director of EMEA and MEE Corporate Social Responsibility and Co-founder of Africa Code Week at SAP says, “ACW is currently in a transition period where we will be transferring the ACW curriculum to the ministries of Education to assist in the integration of coding into school curricula. Once they introduce coding into schools, we look forward to seeing sustainable growth in the number of participants in the AfriCAN Code Challenge as ministries will have a wider reach and access to more young people.”

For more information about SAP Africa Code Week and the AfriCAN Code Challenge, or how you can get involved, visit www.africacodeweek.org or connect and follow on social media @AfricaCodeWeek.

To commemorate Cameroon’s annual Youth Day on 11 February 2023, thousands of young people took to the streets to celebrate through parades, cultural dances, singing, and sporting events. As part of the festivities, over 100 young people marched across two different locations, Yaounde and Maroua, carrying the Africa Code Week (ACW) banner.

The importance of equipping young people with digital skills in Cameroon

Recent figures suggest that the youth unemployment rate in Cameroon has remained nearly unchanged at around 6.64 percent for over two years. However, according to projections, Africa’s digital economy will reach $180 billion by 2025 and $712 billion by 2050.

Commenting on the job opportunities created by digital advancements, Claire Gillissen-Duval, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA MEE at SAP and co-founder of ACW says that Cameroon cannot afford to have young people missing out due to the lack of necessary skills for the digital economy.

 

ACW’s big plans for Cameroon and Africa

Towards the end of 2022, ACW, in partnership with the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), hosted a three-day event with a number of African governments in Morocco.

ACW’s Women Empowerment Program - Empowering Female Teachers to Lead Africa's Digital Revolution

Back by popular demand, Semester 2 of Africa Code Week's Women Empowerment Program (WEP) officially kicked off this October. This Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program equips African female teachers and educators in Computer Science and STEM with the skills and knowledge they need to successfully teach, inspire, mentor, and prepare girls for tomorrow’s tech workplace. The WEP thereby supports ACW’s ambitious plans to transform the continent’s education system by including digital literacy in national curricula – in line with the work of UN SDGs 4, 5 and 17.

Female teachers’ role has never been greater.

Research suggests that female teachers increase girls’ test scores and their likelihood of staying in school. Beyond academics, female teachers can also heighten girls’ aspirations and lower their likelihood of being subject to violence. The WEP was first launched in 2019 by SAP, UNESCO, Irish Aid, the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, and Camden education as a joint response to bridge the digital gender gap and related pressing issues across Africa. The program actively supports female teachers on their leadership and mentoring journey while providing a safe learning platform for them to explore current barriers to girls’ education. They also develop innovative ideas to overcome these barriers, honing a wide array of tools and skills along the way - from Design Thinking and storytelling all the way to animation and digital tools.

Taking place over six weeks with live interpretation in English and French, the ACW WEP workshops also involve global advocates for girls,  policymakers, scholars, pedagogues, and change-makers from organizations such as SAP, UNESCO, DCU, Global Partnership for Education, Innovation Academy and many more. These expert speakers unpack multiple ways to transform learning through virtual and digital tools. Two weeks ago, the program welcomed Vanessa Sinden, an award-winning film producer from the Cape Town based Triggerfish animation studios, for one inspiring ‘Storytelling and animation in the classroom workshop.

Innovation in Education : tackling Africa's unemployment challenges

Recent studies also show that animation strengthens learning and makes the teaching–learning process fun. Educating students through moving motion pictures and drawings can significantly enhance their performance, reducing failure and other challenges such as the high dropout rate. The introduction of animation in learning could also trigger interest and passion for animation early in a pupil’s life, stimulating it as a viable career opportunity across Africa. As a result, this could potentially curb the continent’s high unemployment rate, with the African animation market growing by around 7% during 2015-2020 and is expected to boom post the COVID-19 pandemic.

WEP 2022 Semester 2 participants presented their team projects on Girls' Health Education and well-being supporting SDGs 3, 4 & 5at the November 10th graduation ceremony,  in front of the WEP Alumnae and a high-level panel with:

• Claire Gillissen-Duval, CSR EMEA Senior Director and Co-founder of ACW at SAP.
• Ilham Laaziz, GENIE Program Director, Ministry of National Education, Morocco.
• Carol Hannon, Development Specialist, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland.
• Jackline Oluoch-Aridi Director of the Nairobi Global Centre, Notre Dame International, University of Notre Dame.

After graduation, the WEP journey continues as each participant is invited to grow further through a structured leadership and upskilling pathway, from first-time participant all the way to program co-moderator. With over 450 alumnae from 40 countries, the WEP continues to strengthen and support ACW’s mission of reaching all corners of Africa, ensuring that no child is left behind in the digital era.

To learn more about Africa Code Week and the Women Empowerment Program, visit www.africacodeweek.org or read WEP’s latest news on LinkedIn.

Jokkolabs: 8 hubs for digital innovation in West Africa

Did you know that Jokkolabs is a pioneer in open innovation, digital transformation and social entrepreneurship in Africa, and works to structure an ecosystem where collaborative dynamics bring about change? Its vision is to create a digital innovation ecosystem, leading to new ways of collaborating, experimenting and creating with the aim of achieving shared prosperity. There are 8 Jokkolabs hubs located in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Gambia, Senegal, Cameroon, France, and Burkina Faso.

Since 2018, Jokkolabs Executive Director, Fatim, has served as Africa Code Week (ACW)’s Francophone Africa coordinator, helping to build capacity in communities to expand digital education across the continent and equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. We sat down with her to discuss her ACW experience.

Could you please outline the role Jokkolabs plays in the Africa Code Week initiative?

Jokkolabs is the implementation partner for ACW in francophone Africa, coordinating the actions of the ACW ambassadors in Ivory Coast, Gambia, Togo, Benin, Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger and the Republic of the Congo. We are proud to be involved in supporting youth on their coding journey.

What is your favourite part of ACW?

I would say that it is the impact on young people at an early age and having the opportunity to empower teachers. This we achieve through the provision of continent-wide coding workshops to children between the ages of 8 and 16, as well as via our Train-the-Trainer (TTT) sessions where we upskill teachers.

How is ACW helping to prepare children across the continent for the future?

It helps their creativity. For instance, with the AfriCAN Code Challenge which is a pan-African coding competition that forms part of ACW, children are tasked with coding a game using the Scratch programming language to help address societal issues. This is a more efficient way for kids to educate themselves and society. ACW also gives them the opportunity to become producers and not only consumers. It enables them to develop a very critical mindset and helps pave the way for their futures.

In what ways have you had to adapt due to the impact of COVID-19?

Thanks to the support of the SAP team and its partners, we were able to deliver online sessions which also provided a new perspective on the way we deliver training. Although the infrastructural challenges remain, we are still confident that they will fade away going forward as online learning is the future of education.

What are you looking forward to the most about ACW 2022?

I am hoping for greater ownership of the program by local authorities who can introduce coding to the school curriculum. Coding is crucial for young people as this helps them develop problem-solving abilities, improves creativity, and enhances performance in reading, maths, and science. Plus, it equips them for a world transformed by technology.

 Albert Nsengiyumva from the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) shares his thoughts on the past two years of Africa Code Week and the role digital skills play in preparing African youth for the future

What do you love about Africa Code Week?

I love how the program is free to learners and teachers across Africa and that it offers them an opportunity to enhance their digital skills. Coding and computational thinking are so important for Africa’s youth. Without them, young people won’t be ready for the jobs of the future in which humans will work alongside machines through artificial intelligence. One of the other things I love about Africa Code Week is its focus improving digital education for girls.

What role does ADEA play?

The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) partnered with Africa Code Week in 2020, joining UNESCO and Irish Aid to provide the expertise and government relations. As the Executive Secretary of ADEA and official ACW Patron, I see our role as fighting for quality, inclusive education in Africa that is relevant to the needs of business and industry in the 21st century.

How is Africa Code Week helping prepare children across the continent for the future?

Because Africa has the youngest population in the world, it’s important that we give African youth a ladder to climb their way out of poverty. In my view, this can only be done through education and through events like Africa Code Week which provide young people with valuable coding skills. Coding is a language and if young people are fluent in it, they will be better prepared for the digital world.

In what ways has Africa Code Week had to adapt due to the impact of COVID-19?

In 2020, Africa Code Week pivoted from in-person events to holding most events online. Surprisingly, these virtual events had a much greater reach and were able to be enjoyed by students and teachers in many more African countries. For instance, in 2020 we successfully reached 1.5 million youth, of which nearly half were girls. Over 10,500 workshops were held across 43 countries and 21,000 teachers participated in Train-the-Trainer sessions. This is a real accomplishment and something to be proud of.

Looking ahead, what are your plans for Africa Code Week?

Our goals remain the same: to empower young Africans with digital literacy skills. How we do it may change, as evidenced by the evolution to virtual training sessions due to the global pandemic and the launch of the smartphone app in 2020. What I would really like to see are more African governments pledging to offer coding as part of their national school curriculum. So far, through the efforts of Africa Code Week, nine countries have already done so. I’d like to see a whole lot more!

Albert Nsengiyumva is the Executive Secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa, one of the key partners for Africa Code Week, along with SAP, UNESCO, and Irish Aid. 

Returning for the second year, the Africa Code Week AfriCAN Code Challenge presents their top 10 winners with Devansh and Darshika from Mauritius as the Pan-African competition winners!

An annual celebration of coding throughout Africa

The AfriCAN Code Challenge is a pan-African coding competition where youth aged 8 - 16 were tasked with coding a game using the Scratch programming language to address the theme that was determined by the Africa Code Week team. This competition was launched by SAP Africa Code Week and partners UNESCO, Irish Aid and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) in September 2020, and since then has become an annual celebration of youth and innovation in Africa.

The rationale for chosing this year’s superheroe theme was to allow children to unleash their creativity and express themselves freely on issues they feel are important to them. Davide Storti, Coordinator of the YouthMobile Initiative at UNESCO, says: “The post-pandemic education recovery starts with allowing our children to regain confidence and hope, and with us adults reopening spaces, although virtual, for them to access their fullest potential."

To take part in the AfriCAN Code Challenge, youth were able to enter alone or in teams of up to five people, and entries featured a three-minute YouTube video showcasing how their game works and why it should be considered a winning entry. The unique initiative and entry mechanism called upon the children’s ability to design a project that would solve a community-issue, code it, and communicate it.

The winners of the AfriCAN Code Challenge 2021

During the opening rounds of the challenge, participation reached across 40 countries and featured 102 project video clips, only the top three entries from 36 countries made it into the continental final, followed by 20 countries in the final judging stage.

Selected by a high-level jury comprising key Africa Code Week delegates and STEM education experts, the top three winners of the AfriCAN Code Challenge are:

The top 3

First place: Mauritius – Super Recyclers, by Devansh and Darshika
Second place: Nigeria – The Carbon Man, by SUPER GAMERS
Third place: Ethiopia – Kids Academy, by Natnael Kedir

Followed by:

4: Niger - Rayuwa
5: Sao Tome & Principe - Helper intrigue
6: Tunisia - Le toucher du bonheur
7: Capo Verde - Change the World with US
8: Morocco – Super hero
9: Seychelles - The Prodigies
10: Madagascar - Pensons civisme

The 2021 edition of the AfriCAN Code Challenge was quite unique, as for the first time, hearing-impaired students participated in the competition proving once again that coding is the language of inclusivity and creativity.

Irish Minister of State for overseas development aid and diaspora Colm Brophy T.D, who attended the Rwanda AfriCAN Code Challenge national awards ceremony says, “Africa Code Week unlocks the potential in young people who otherwise may not have considered building their digital skills”

Claire Gillissen-Duval, Director of EMEA Corporate Social Responsibility and Co-founder of Africa Code Week at SAP adds, “The  return of the AfriCAN Code Challenge was awaited by our incredible SAP volunteers who took part in the first line of jury. The presence of hearing-impaired students demonstrates the power of inclusivity that resides in digital literacy, in its capacity to build bridges and connect children of an entire continent, regardless of gender, age or ability.”

For more information about SAP Africa Code Week and the AfriCAN Code Challenge, visit www.africacodeweek.org

Returning for a second edition, the AfriCAN Code Challenge is a pan-African coding competition where youth aged 8 to 16 were tasked with coding a game using the Scratch programming language to show how they would change the world with their superpowers. Youth were able to enter alone or in teams of up to five people, tapping into a wide range of essential skills from problem-solving and coding all the way to teamwork and communications. Each entry had to include a three-minute YouTube video showing how the game works and why it should win.

In total, 40 countries participated, with over 100 project videos submitted. The top three entries from 36 countries made it into the continental final, with 20 projects making it to the final judging stage!

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De retour pour la deuxième édition, l'AfriCAN Code Challenge est un concours de codage pour les jeunes de 8 à 16 ans. Leur mission : programmer un jeu en utilisant le langage de programmation Scratch sur le thème : « Change le monde avec tes super pouvoirs ! » Les jeunes pouvaient participer seuls ou en équipes de cinq personnes maximums, en faisant appel à un large éventail de compétences essentielles - de la résolution de problèmes à la programmation en passant par le travail d'équipe et la communication. Chaque participation devait inclure une vidéo YouTube de trois minutes montrant le fonctionnement du jeu.

Au total, 40 pays ont participé, et plus de 100 vidéos de projets ont été soumises. Les trois meilleurs projets de 36 pays ont été retenus pour la finale continentale : sur ces 36 projets, 20 projets ont été retenus pour la dernière phase!

Here are the 20 projects that made it through to the final round / Voici les 20 projets finalistes :

Ivory Coast:  Mégaménage
Niger:  Rayuwa
Gabon:  Stop Déchet
Djibouti: Ecole Excellence
Madagascar: Pensons civisme
Tunisia: Le toucher du bonheur
Nigeria: The Carbon Man
The Gambia: Quiz Game
Rwanda: Master Jump Game
Uganda: Save Planet Earth Project
Ethiopia: Kids Academy
Mauritius: Super Recyclers
South Africa: Eco friendly game
Zimbabwe: Recycle it
Sudan: Saving Children
Seychelles: The Prodigies
Capo Verde : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_i1RC73Cmk 
Sao Tome & Principe: Helper intrigue
Morocco: Super Hero 
Libya: https://youtu.be/9sYZNsYEjFs

Despite the dual challenges of low internet penetration and a switch to virtual teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers in Ghana have embraced the opportunity to learn 21st century digital teaching skills during this year’s Africa Code Week Train-the-Trainer campaign.

Ghana's population growth: a challenge and an opportunity

Ghana has a fast-growing population that more than doubled from 14.2 million people in 1989 to 28.8 million people in 2017. Nearly 39% of the population is under the age of 15, a demographic dividend that the Ghanaian government aims to harness through improved education opportunities for all its youth.

Speaking at the launch of last year’s Train-the-Trainer activities in Ghana, Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Yaw Adutwum, said: “Coding is not just a skill. It’s a different way of teaching and a different way of learning that puts the student at the centre of the learning process.”

More than 39 000 teachers in 37 countries were mobilised during the 2019 Africa Code Week. This year, with both a virtual and a hybrid format due to the impact of the pandemic, Africa Code Week is taking place in all African countries, including a month-long series of virtual coding sessions that took place across the continent from October until December.

Teachers embrace digital learning opportunity

Francis Ahene-Affoh, SVP at the DreamOval Foundation, says there was a high level of interest in the Train-the-Trainer sessions this year despite the challenging conditions of the pandemic.

A survey conducted by the DreamOval Foundation of participating teachers revealed many would choose to continue with online learning in future. “While the majority of participants at this year’s Train-the-Trainer sessions were from the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, this year’s virtual learning model also enabled teachers from every part of Ghana to participate,” says Ahene-Affoh. "We believe this indicates a need for virtual teaching to continue even when the pandemic subsides, as the travel to attend training sessions in person can be an obstacle to teachers' participation.”

Internet connectivity continues to be a challenge in Ghana, and few teachers have access to laptops. “Despite not having resources, more than half of teachers surveyed joined the sessions via their mobile phones. This level of commitment and passion for teaching and digital skills development is hugely encouraging as we work to prepare the country’s youth for participation in the digital economy,” says Ahene-Affoh.

Mobilising youth in continent-wide coding challenge

A recent addition to Africa Code Week activities is the AfriCanCode Challenge, a continent-wide coding challenge calling on youth aged 8 to 16 to compete in a competition. The competition was launched in September last year in partnership with SAP, UNESCO YouthMobile and Irish Aid.

According to Mustapha Diyaol Haqq, Africa Code Week’s 2019-2020 youth ambassador in Ghana, interest in the AfriCanCode Challenge has been high among Ghanaian youth. “Despite low levels of internet penetration in Ghana, young aspiring coders from across the country have taken up the challenge. Through teamwork, problem-solving and newly-developed coding skills, youth are putting forward their vision for what the future of education holds for the continent."

Cathy Smith, Managing Director at SAP Africa, says:

About SAP

SAP’s strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world’s transaction revenue touches an SAP® system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers’ businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want – without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people’s lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

Despite Covid-disruption, SAP Africa Code Week hosts Train-the-Trainer sessions in Libya, Mauritania with educators showing strong interest in digital literacy
Collaboration with Ministries of Education aimed at building sustainable skills development capacity

Digital literacy amidst conflict and pandemic

Two countries in the north of Africa affected by recent or ongoing conflict may be turning the corner on digital skills development for youth and teachers in 2021. Despite the challenges with internet access, lack of access to technology and ongoing conflict, interest in digital skills is high among learners and teachers alike in both Libya and Mauritania.

Dorsaf Benna Chelly, SAP Africa Code Week coordinator in North Africa, is upbeat about the interest shown by educators – including the Ministries of Education – in both countries.

Building blocks of a brighter future for Libya’s youth

Did you know?

• Libya is in a state of civil war as rival factions seek control of the government. The World Food Programme estimates that 435 000 people have been displaced by the conflict.
• When the pandemic emerged in early 2020, it prompted school closures across Libya, leaving 1.3 million learners suddenly out of school. The Libyan government worked with local television stations to broadcast compulsory lessons for middle and secondary school children. 
• The Libyan Ministry of Education also partnered with UNICEF to support digital teaching platforms, provide technical supplies such as tablets and computers, and improve internet connectivity. 
• According to World Bank data, only 22% of the population in Libya had access to the internet in 2017. 

Dr Muna Naas, Africa Code Week coordinator for Libya and member of the Libyan Ministry of Education, says:

Last year a total of five Train-the-Trainer sessions were held in the country in September and October, with 67 teachers taking place. Twelve of the teachers were female. In 2021 this figure is set to increase during the months of October to December.

“For many of the teachers, this was their first contact with coding,” says Benna Chelly. "We have also mobilised support among teachers for the AfriCAN Code Challenge, a relatively new initiative at this year’s Africa Code Week that seeks youth aged 8 to 16 to foster a wide range of essential skills, from coding to problem-solving and teamwork, and compete in a competition to help unleash their super powers through coding creativity.”

Scaling teaching impact in Mauritania

Despite constant government investment in the education sector, Mauritania has not yet achieved universal primary school enrolment. According to the World Bank, the country’s learning outcomes remain low, partly due to teachers’ limited qualifications and skills. 

In addition, only one in five people in Mauritania have access to the internet according to 2017 data. This adds further complications to the provision of digital learning in the country. 

According to Cheikh Konaté, Member of the National Assembly of Education in Mauritania, improving the quality of education is critical to the country’s economic growth and human capital development efforts. “As the gatekeepers on knowledge and learning, teachers are invaluable in helping us prepare our youth for the future. With the support of our public and private sector partners, hundreds of teachers participated in the first-ever Train-the-Trainer workshops in our country, and gained first-hand experience with new digital learning and teaching schools.”

Benna Chelly points to the ongoing interest in ACW Train-the-Trainer sessions among educators in Mauritania.

More than 39 000 teachers in 37 countries were mobilised during the 2019 Africa Code Week. This year, with an all-virtual format due to the impact of the pandemic, Africa Code Week is taking place across all African countries, with a month-long series of virtual coding sessions taking place across the continent during October to December.

Hicham Iraqi Houssaini, Managing Director of SAP Francophone Africa concludes:

For more information about Africa Code Week, please visit www.africacodeweek.org

About Africa Code Week

Since 2015, SAP Africa Code Week (ACW) has been creating free opportunities for young Africans to learn coding skills and for teachers to be trained on digital learning curricula. Strong partnerships with the public, private and civil society sectors across 54 countries are driving sustainable impact by building teaching capacity and supporting the adoption of coding into national curricula in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5 and 17. Join SAP and partners by visiting www.africacodeweek.org to find out more.

About SAP

SAP’s strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world’s transaction revenue touches an SAP® system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers’ businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want – without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people’s lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

The DreamOval Foundation in partnership with SAP, UNESCO YouthMobile, and Irish Aid, organized an inspiring award ceremony last week for Ghanaian students who have played an active part in this year’s Africa Code Week (ACW) AfriCAN Code Challenge competition.

The event was a joyful ceremony involving school authorities, Metropolitan assembly officials, chiefs, and parents from the winning school to showcase the hard work and efforts of local youth in line with the Government's agenda towards improving 21st century learning. Prizes included laptops, tablets, mobile handsets, and book vouchers and were handed to country winners from Nii Boye Town SDA Basic School, Martyrs of Uganda and Accra, and Sweet Code. 

Ghanean students rise above Covid challenges

Speaking about the awards ceremony, Francis Ahene-Affoh from DreamOval adds, “Despite the global pandemic and today’s disruptions to learning, Ghana received both innovative and creative competition entries. We selected the best three to represent our country for the continental challenge and look forward to seeing our local talent showcased with Africa’s top students.” 

The AfriCAN Code Challenge is an exciting pan-African competition that invites youth aged 8-16 years to program a Scratch game aligned to the 'Change the world with your Superpowers' theme. Participants are invited to compete individually or in teams of up to five people to test students’ ability to write basic code using the scratch language and to show their level of competence in a 2min video which is reviewed by a panel of judges. 

Speaking at the event, Chief of Nii Boye Town, Nii Ayi Mensah 1, acknowledged the students and their hard work and the importance of key influencers and local ambassadors in fostering digital education in the community. He also highlighted the importance of digital learning and education while referencing the students from SDA who were shining examples with their winning creations in the AfriCAN Code Challenge. 

Francis from DreamOval echoed Nii Ayi Mensah 1’s words at the event by celebrating the students’ tenacity and dedication, but also encouraged them to take digital learning and coding seriously as a ‘transformative journey’ that will change their lives and make them competitive in the global economy. 

Ghana helps conquer Africa’s digital divide  

During 2021 alone, more than 621 teachers have been trained in Ghana during Africa Code Week’s Train-the-Trainer (TTT) sessions during the month of August thanks to the implementing partner, DreamOval Foundation. 

Due to COVID-19 and to support health and safety regulations, the training was scheduled online and created an opportunity for teachers to register from all corners of the country. “Ghana has recorded impressive results over the years during the TTT sessions, and this year was no exception,” concludes Francis Ahene-Affoh. 

To find out more information about Ghana’s continued support in Africa Code Week or to get involved, contact the DreamOval Foundation or send an email to Francis. 

(Version française ci-dessous)

Joining forces with SAP as part of Africa Code Week (ACW) for the fourth year running, Google is expanding opportunities for youth to learn critical digital literacy and coding skills through the funding of 55 non-profit partners in 18 countries. The partnership sees Google supporting the SAP-led Africa Code Week by making available micro grants that empower local non-profits to increase their impact during this year’s ACW.

The awarding of the ‘Grow with Google’ micro grants form part of Google’s commitment to preparing 10 million people in Africa for the future workplace. Since the start of the partnership with SAP in 2016, Google micro grants have enabled 154 organisations across 18 countries to bring digital literacy and coding skills to more than 200 000 youth, with the micro grants acting as important catalysts in expanding access to ACW workshops to more youth. The far-reaching impact of Google grants over the past few years speaks volumes about the importance of public-private partnerships on capacity-building strategies in the digital era.

"In our ambition to train 10 millions Africans in digital skills by 2022, partnering with SAP and UNESCO on Africa Code Week is highly strategic," says Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde, Head of Google Brand and Reputation in Africa. "The goal of this is to help the next generation learn and develop the skills to be safe and successful online. As part of this effort, investing in Africa Code Week, spearheaded by SAP, enables us to contribute to young students being able to create with technology and bring coding and digital literacy to everybody in a fun and engaging way. We are thrilled to see this program grow from year to year thanks to the excellent work of the local organizations we support."

Now in its fifth year, SAP Africa Code Week has introduced more than 4.1 million youth in 37 African countries to basic coding and digital skills through a continent-wide network of workshops that are held during the month of October. This year, ACW aims to bring free workshops to 1.5 million youth, and its more than 130 public, private and non-profit sector partners playing a vital role in driving the reach and impact of ACW across the continent.

Below you will find the list of Google grant recipients as part of ACW 2019, along with their respective stories at the time of their grant application.

ACW 2019 : Le partenariat entre SAP & Google permet de financer 55 organismes à but non lucratif sur 18 pays africains.

En s'associant à SAP dans le cadre d'Africa Code Week (ACW) pour la quatrième année consécutive, Google offre aux jeunes la possibilité d'acquérir des compétences essentielles en matière de culture numérique et de codage grâce au financement de 55 organismes à but non lucratif (OBNL) dans 18 pays africains. Par ce partenariat, Google soutient ainsi l'initiative dirigée par SAP en offrant des micro-subventions qui permettent aux OBNL locaux d'accroître leur impact lors de l'édition 2019 d’ACW.

L'attribution des micro-subventions "Grow with Google" s'inscrit dans le cadre des engagements pris par Google pour préparer 10 millions d’Africains au marché du travail de demain. Depuis le début du partenariat avec SAP en 2016, les micro-subventions Google ont permis à 154 organisations d'équiper plus de 200 000 jeunes de 18 pays des compétences en codage et culture numérique ; les micro-subventions jouant un rôle de catalyseur pour ouvrir les ateliers ACW à toujours plus de jeunes. L'impact considérable des subventions Google au cours des dernières années en dit long sur la capacité des partenariats public-privé à renforcer les capacités pédagogiques dans l'ère numérique.

"Pour former 10 millions d'Africains aux compétences numériques d'ici 2022 conformément à nos ambitions, le partenariat avec SAP et l'UNESCO dans le cadre d'Africa Code Week est hautement stratégique", déclare Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde, Directrice Brand and Reputation pour Google en Afrique. "L'objectif est d'aider la prochaine génération à acquérir, à développer les compétences dont elle a besoin pour réussir en ligne, en toute sécurité. Dans cet effort, investir dans l'initiative Africa Code Week menée par SAP nous permet d'aider les jeunes à créer grâce à la technologie tout en leur ouvrant les horizons du codage et de la culture numérique de façon amusante et interactive. Nous sommes ravis de voir ce programme grandir d'année en année grâce à l'excellent travail des organismes locaux que nous subventionnons."

Depuis son lancement par SAP en 2015, Africa Code Week a permis d'initier plus de 4,1 millions de jeunes Africains au codage et aux compétences numériques. Cette année, ACW verra des milliers d'ateliers d'initiation gratuits organisés sur 37 pays africains pour 1,5 million de jeunes, avec l'aide de plus de 130 partenaires publics, privés et associatifs.

Vous trouverez ci-dessous la liste des bénéficiaires des subventions Google dans le cadre d'ACW 2019, ainsi que leur histoire au moment de leur demande de subvention.

	Bénin
AIESEC			En partenariat avec le comité de coordination Africa Code Week au Bénin, le projet vise à former le corps enseignant du primaire au développement d'applications de jeux à partir du logiciel Scratch - à raison de deux professeurs par école et de plusieurs jeunes bénévoles, pour un total de 10 écoles avec 45 élèves par classe et une participation des filles de 60%.
	Botswana
Dream Factory Foundation			ACW Francistown seeks to empower 1000 young people with basic coding skills through 90-minute digital learning workshops using Scratch.
The Clicking Generation			The Clicking Generation will run training workshops in Maun and Gumare regions for students in primary and secondary schools. The organisation aims to train students from 10 schools in Maun region and 10 schools form Gumare regions.
Ngwana Enterprise			This project aims to introduce coding to 40 schools in Kweneng District. The program would target 25000 learners and 1000 graduate teachers.
	Cameroon
The Bros Enterprise			The Bros Enterprise is developing the minds of the young to embrace the opportunities IT and computer technology has to offer, through workshops, talks and hackathons.
Institut Salomon			ITenager est un programme de formation pour apprendre aux jeunes issus des zones rurales à maîtriser l'outil informatique par le d’ateliers pratiques.
Genius Centers			Tout commence par un rêve. Nous sommes en 2040. En groupe de 3 à 4 (au minimum 1 fille par groupe), utilisez scratch pour créer une application, un jeu ou un dessin animé pour nous permettre de nous promener dans votre univers. Cette compétition se déroulera dans 10 écoles du Littoral et du Centre. Les 5 premiers groupes de chaque école iront en finale. Les 3 premiers groupes sur le plan national recevront des trophées et des kits de robotique.
Club Programmation			La sous-représentation des filles dans les domaines de l'informatique et du génie informatique est un problème majeur en Afrique, et il touche tout particulièrement le petit village d’Emana au Cameroun. Or en donnant envie aux filles de ce village de s’impliquer dans ce secteur, Code for Girls permettra aux innovations technologiques d’être conçues en réponse à leurs besoins.
	Côte d'Ivoire
Jokkolabs Côte d'lvoire			« Cød’ivoire » est un programme qui vise à promouvoir l'informatique tout en permettant aux citoyens d’en apprendre la langue dès le plus jeune âge. Les objectifs du programme sont de former 500 élèves au code informatique, de susciter l'engouement des jeunes pour l'informatique et de promouvoir son enseignement à l’échelle nationale et continentale.
COPAJE-AF/COTED'IVOIRE			P.A.L est un projet de formation et d’assistance au développement qui a pour objectif de promouvoir le leadership et l’entreprenariat chez les jeunes.
	Ethiopia
Walta Mothers and Children Health Care Organization			The organisation has selected 16 schools for Africa Code Week from Wolayta Zone of SNNPR, Ethiopia that have taken computers from Camara Education Ethiopia. Accordingly, a total of 5000 students (3000 male / 2000 female) will receive training during this year’s ACW.
	The Gambia
Give1Project Gambia			The Given 1 Project will introduce and train more students on different coding languages. It will introduce more beginners to coding. Beginners will receive an introduction to coding, while the more mature students will be given community problems to provide solutions to using the different coding languages. There will also be robotics sessions for some students.
	Ghana
Ghana Code Club			During Africa Code Week 2019, Ghana Code Club is organising hands-on code-alongs that promote and reinforce computational thinking using CS-first curriculum to 500 students in Accra. Boys and girls will learn to remix start-up projects to create animation, interactive arts and computer games.
ZongoVation Hub			'Zongo Kids Can Code' seeks to empower 1000 young people between the ages of 11 and 18 years with basic coding skills using Scratch.
iSpace Foundation			Code For Impact is a three day training program, ending with a two day hackathon where children will get to demonstrate what they have learnt. As part of the program, iSpace alongside partners will have a three day follow up exercise, where participants will get to further demonstrate their skills.
	Guinea
Cetradis Sarl			L’objectif est de renforcer les capacités d’enseignement numérique en Guinée grâce à des formations pour les enseignants dans le cadre d’Africa Code Week 2019.
	Kenya
Sote Information and Communications Technology (Sote Hub)			The Sote Hub brings training company experience to students in rural Kenya, enriching their creativity, critical thinking and practical life skills for future careers through ICT Clubs. Through its Sote ICT clubs for high school students in Taita Taveta County in Kenya, kids will learn skills in coding using MIT App Inventor and coder dojo.
Pwani Teknowgalz			Mombasa coding workshop is a project implemented by Pwani Teknowgalz and supported by Grow with Google that introduces 300 primary school kids aged 11 to 13 from marginalized communities in Mombasa Kenya to Scratch programming.
Modcom Limited			Modcom is reaching out to youth in Garissa County, where ICT education is not accessible and girl child education is not a priority, as part of its ACW activities.
EldoHub			EldoHub is a tech innovation hub that supports kids and teenagers through a coding bootcamp program. During Africa Code Week, Eldohub will organise 3-hour CS training workshops for 360 boys and girls aged between 11 and 18 years across four counties in the North Rift, Western region of Kenya. The main focus of learning will be Scratch, HTML5/CSS3 and design thinking activities. Half the participants are expected to be girls.
	Lesotho
Science and Mathematics Educators Federation			Africa Code Week is initiative that is instilling digital literacy and coding skills in the young generation. If Africa is to make it in the future generation, its children should have skills that will help them survive in the age of Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning hence Africa Code Week with introduction of Scratch program and Joomla Content management system (CMS)
Soofia International School			Soofia is committed to raising a platform for the young minds so they can realize their dreams and be positive contributors in the era of Industry 4.0. This is not only to those learning at Soofia or those studying Computer Science.
	Malawi
mHub			mHub aims to train about 1500 girls by conducting lessons in both rural and urban areas.
		Namibia
Dream Factory Foundation Namibia			ACW Namibia Village Outreach seeks to empower 600 young people with basic coding skills through 90-minute digital learning workshops using Scratch. This initiative seeks to inspire and introduce youth residing in rural communities to the digital skills they need to make their dreams come true in this digital age.
	Nigeria
Bodex ICT			CodeUp Osun is a workshop that is created to empower between the ages of 9-16 with basic computer and coding skills in the remote and underserved areas of Osun State, Nigeria.
Online Hub Educational Services			One Student - One Skill is an ongoing initiative of Online Hub Educational Services born out of the need for students to become skilled, employable and self-reliant in the Nigerian ecosystem.
Coderina Education and Technology			The aim of the Future Proof program is to introduce 500 kids in two undeserved areas - Oshodi and Ikeja in Lagos State - to foundational and life-long learning transferable skills using technology.
Webfala Digital Limited Digital Skill Institute (WDLDSI)			The Computer Literacy for All project is designed to reach out to those students – especially female students - who do not have access to computer science at all, such as remote areas in Kwara, Nigeria.
Striving for Greatness Edtech Initiative			Teens Programming Lab (TPL v4.0) is a skills development program committed to impacting 2000 young students aged 8-16 years across 3 states in Nigeria. TPL aims to identify young children and teens, equip them with basic programming skills, ignite their passion for Computer Science and subsequently prepare them to be knowledgeable professionals, who can lead and positively influence their immediate communities and country at large.
Skyline Futuristic Eco West African Academy			Kickstart is an intensive, hands-on coding workshop for high school students in underserved areas, with the goal to empower them; by demystifying the myth in coding and computer science in a fun and exciting way, leveraging Scratch programming and CS-Unplugged.  Skyline Futuristic Eco West African Academy is also hosting Coding Workshops for 2500 learners to write at least a line of code during Africa Code Week 2019. Most of the students trained will be from underprivileged backgrounds and a minimum of 45% of children trained will be young females to ignite their passion for computer science. The program will target various rural and suburban areas of Enugu State, Nigeria.
Soparkids International			Soparkids aims to introduce coding to 7000 children, youth and first-time learners using Scratch, Cs First, CS unplugged and Web Design.
Saveup Yung Dev			Code Titans is a practical digital literacy program geared towards creating students with a foundational knowledge in computer science and programming within areas that lack computer science impact. Training will be conducted for a period of 10 days at the organisation’s learning centre, with 100 students trained daily.
Rugged Steps Foundation For African Youth Development			RSFAYD Africa Code Week 2019 is a 3-days training workshop for kids aged 11 to 18 years across Port Harcourt City, Rivers State, Nigeria. The main focus of learning will be based on CS-Unplugged and Scratch coding.
Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN)			WITIN is hosting after-school 10-hour CS workshops spread across five days using CS-First online curriculum. Twenty schools in Kano State will be involved, with 20 students and 2 teachers per school. Most importantly, the CS-First curriculum is expected to continually be used by the school even after Africa Code Week is concluded to meet local needs.
Codekajola			CodeKajola ACW 2019 is a 3-days training session for the kids between ages 8 and 18, of which 60% are girls, held across 10 local government areas in Oyo State, Nigeria.
Greatness Achieved Through Excellence (GATE Academy)			GATE Academy is hosting a workshop for secondary school students over a one-week period. Each student will have two hours of uninterrupted training time. The week-long program will involve 30 students each from 10 secondary schools in the lower suburbs of Lagos in which each student will be exposed to 2 hours of uninterrupted CS knowledge using Scratch and materials from the ACW website. The training will run simultaneously across two different schools every day for five days.
NACOSS SOUTHEAST			Nacoss Southeast is focusing its ACW activities on targeting rural community students in public and less standard schools in Enugu and Abia State. Learners, many of whom have no experience with computers or the internet, will get first-hand experience in coding, computers and internet, and will be mentored on choosing careers in computer science.
TechQuest STEM Academy			TeachAKid2Code is a community-driven STEM engagement and impact program that is aimed at exposing and educating kids in STEM at scale through technology tools, volunteer efforts, and community support. With the support of Africa Code Week, the organisation will be reaching 1500 students in 60 schools across 12 states in Nigeria. TeachAKid2Code will be joining hands with the Cape Town Science Centre to drive sustainable learning impact across Africa, instilling digital literacy and coding skills in the young generation.
Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF)-NIGERIA			During ACW 2019, #NaijaGirlsCode2019 aims to reach 800 girls, 80 from each of its 10 partner schools, teaching basic coding skills using scratch in an effort to empower girls in the digital century and foster gender equality in African ICT education. The aim is to overcome the gender digital divide and contribute to improved digital skills and employment perspectives for girls and women in emerging and developing countries such as Nigeria.
Start Innovation Hub Technology Foundation			Start Innovation Hub will organise a workshop that will run after-school activities for four weeks between Oct 2-26, 2019, using the Scratch Curriculum on the CS First website to train youth on Art, Unusual Discovery, Storytelling and Game Design.
RAD5 Tech Hub			TeenHack is a social & non-profit STEM project that is providing an all-inclusive coding workshop to 500 students and 50 ICT teachers across 3 disadvantaged communities in Abia State.
Premier Hub Innovation Center			Code for All provides basic programming training for young people between the ages of 8 and 18 in Akure, Nigeria who have never written a line of code. The training will be held at Premier Hub Innovation Centre with the aim of training a total of 1,000 participants in 10 working days.
Initiative For The Development of The Next Generation			The Initiative For The Development of The Next Generation will be making magic at the Africa Code Week in Awe town with Scratch and CS-First. We will bring together about 1000 students to learn the Google CS First curriculum for the first time while equipping teachers with relevant materials to enable continuity of what was learnt during the event. The program is also designed to encourage kids to choose a career in line with computer science or coding as the learning will be mixed with fun and engaging activities.
InnoSoft Technologies			InnoSoft Technologies aims to introduce 5000 youths/students to coding from age 6-11, 12-16, and 17-22 in 3 states in Nigeria, of which 50% will be girls as part of the organisation’s support of the next generation of coders in Nigeria.
KYM Signature Media			Codedication seeks to teach coding to thousands of youth and spread the good news of coding and CS Education to regions where it has never been heard before.
Megatronic Network Solutions Limited			Evolution Hack is set to provide young learners and students in Nigeria with more passion for computer science and programming. This year, the organisation will be working with more secondary institutions to train and introduce over 2500 young learners to coding skills and programming.
Megatronic Network Solutions Limited			Megatronic Network Solutions Limited will be hosting a two-hour workshop and 1-hour hackathon during ACW.
	South Africa
ICT CLUB MPUMALANGA			ITC Club Mpumalanga is hosting Train-the-Trainer workshops of two hours each at three events. They will also host seven sessions of two hours each to learners during ACW.
The KZN Science Centre			The KZN Science Centre is offering coding to learners, educators and the public through a programme that will teach participants how to code using the Scratch 2.0 program. During the course, participants will be introduced to the software with an introduction as well as an advanced coding session.
Dream Factory Foundation			ACW with Dream Factory Foundation SA seeks to empower 1000 young people with basic coding skills through 90-minute digital learning workshops using Scratch. The initiative seeks to inspire and introduce youth residing in township communities in KZN, Eastern Cape and Western Cape to the digital skills they need to make their dreams come true in this digital age.Dream Factory will see 500 young people empowered with basic coding skills through 1.5-hour digital learning workshops using Scratch. This initiative seeks to inspire our youth to hone the digital skills they need to make their dreams come true in this digital age.
Sci-Bono Discovery Centre			Code Titans is a practical digital literacy program geared towards equipping students with foundational knowledge in computer science and programming within areas that lack computer science impact. Training will be conducted for a period of 10 days at the organisation’s learning centre with 100 students trained daily.
Isisombululo Community Improvement Programme			The Isisombululo Community Improvement Programme aims to introduce children to coding through the introduction of Scratch, an application that combines youthful creativity and curiosity with school subjects such as mathematics and art. This creates a vibrant digital environment that allows children to become adept at computer coding in a short period of time.
The Library Project Trust (t/a The Bookery)			The Bookery works with schools across the Western Cape to revive the culture of STEAMAC and get learners to write their first lines of code. The organisation will offer 60-minute sessions of Scratch coding to learners, and 90-minute sessions to teachers as part of its involvement with Train-the-Trainer).
GirlCode			GirlCode runs the GirlCoder Club, a nationwide network of free, volunteer-led, weekend coding clubs designed for primary and high school girls who want to have a strong foundation in basic programming skills.
Fundanii			Fundanii is a digital learning project based in South Africa, with the aim to introduce various edu-learning platforms to underprivileged learners in the township of Mdantsane. The organisation exposes learners to a series of projects that range from basic coding to 2D animation.
Sakhikamva Foundation			With the support of Google, Sakhikamva Foundation will participate in Africa Code Week 2019 for the fourth consecutive year. The foundation aims to introduce 2000 youth to the exciting world of coding over a one-week period.
Siyafunda Community Technology Centre			The Siyafunda Community Technology Centres will be bringing 4IR coding to communities and schools across the country during this year’s ACW.
	Togo
ARLT (ASSOCIATION POUR LA REFONDATION LAIQUE DU TOGO)			ACW INCLUSIVE TOGO 2019 est un programme qui vise à constituer des labs informatiques mobiles avec des bénévoles formés en codage qui vont sillonner les localités reculées ne disposant pas de salle informatique dans les écoles. Une fois sur place, ils initieront les élèves et les enfants de ces localités défavorisées au codage informatique.
	Tunisia
MentorNations			MentorNations will help young students learn about IoT using very basic skills, with a focus on undeserved communities. The organisation’s goal is to help youth to increase their potential.
	Uganda
Youth for Reconciliation and Leadership			During the 2019 Africa Code Week, CSRS coding workshops will reach out to five new schools to train teachers and students and launching new computer science clubs in those schools.
		Zimbabwe
Girls in STEM Trust			The Girls in STEM Trust is hosting digital and coding skills training for beginner to intermediate levels to ensure basic computer literacy and computational and digital skills for girls and young women.

Self-taught coder develops model for diagnosing breast cancer; looks to solve some of the continent’s biggest challenges and inspires youth across the continent as Africa Code Week Youth Ambassador for 2019.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — July 1, 2019 — “It takes a village to raise a child”: as the Fourth Industrial Revolution sweeps across Africa and more of its youth develop coding and other digital skills, there may come a time to update this old saying to: “It takes one child to raise the prospects of a village.” And based on the quest of one young man from a village in Ghana to solve some of the major problems faced by his community, this saying could become commonplace as more young innovators enter the fray.

Inspired by global technology success stories, Mustapha Diyaol Haqq, a 19-year-old from Kumasi in Southern Ghana, realised he too could deliver innovation where it was most needed, starting with his very home town. “Seeing how the big tech companies used innovation to solve some of the world’s biggest problems made me realise how important it is to learn to code,” says Haqq. “I looked online for any free courses that could help me develop coding skills and completed as many as I could.”

> Continue to story on SAP News

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supports Africa Code Week for third consecutive year.

“Where women and girls are able to change their opportunities and perspectives through ICT, their empowerment affects a wide range of outcomes, from ending poverty, to improving education and health, to agricultural productivity, and creating decent jobs*.” With 90% of future jobs requiring ICT skills, now is the time for private and public partners to join forces like never before so that SDG #5 on gender equality can be met by 2030.

Kenya

South Africa

Ghana

As current research by Accenture suggests, sparking the interest of girls at an early stage on their educational pathway and sustaining their interest in computer coding is a key challenge for teachers – hence the pressing need to support them at the grassroot level.

This is what brought the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to launch the #eskills4Girls initiative as part of Germany’s 2017 G20 presidency, with a goal to tackle the gender digital divide in low income and developing countries. Endorsed by all G20 states and by SAP and UNESCO as part of Africa Code Week, #eskills4Girls is a global initiative bringing together governments, private sector, universities and non-profits across the continent to narrow the gender digital divide. In parallel, throughout the course of 2018, BMZ, UNESCO, SAP and the Camden Education Trust gathered pedagogues and experts to strengthen the gender component of Africa Code Week’s Train-the-Teacher curriculum.

Kenya

Burundi

As part of this 2018 edition, 20 BMZ grants were awarded to support digital literacy events and workshops across 15 African countries. Implemented by volunteer trainers and teachers within each grantee organization, these workshops introduced more than 13,791 women and girls to the basics of coding using Scratch, the globally-acclaimed programming interface designed by the MIT Media Lab. In some countries, participants were also able to learn mobile application development and software programming languages including HTML, CSS, Javascript and Java.

* Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women. https://news.itu.int/reshaping-future-women-girls-icts/ 

List of 2018 #eSkills4Girls grantees:

• Access to Computer for Every Girl


• The Clicking Generation


• Ghana Code Club


• Impact Hub Harare


• Youth for Technology Foundation


• Soparkids International


• Pwani Teknowgalz


• WAAW Foundation


• Amazoon du web


• GEM Institute


• Burundi Innovation Hub (BIHUB)


• Code for Cape Town


• Kanori Initiatives


• Genius Centers


• mHub Malawi


• Girlhype Coders


• Apps and Girls


• MentorNations


• B2C-Coworking


• Sakhikamva Foundation


 

For the third year in a row, Google is supporting SAP Africa Code Week (ACW) as part of its own commitment to preparing 10 million people in Africa for tomorrow's workplace. During ACW 2016 and 2017, Google micro grants had already enabled 90 organizations across 10 African countries to expose 100,000+ youth to computer science (CS) and coding.

Joining forces again with SAP and ACW key partners in 2018 to build community capacity in ICT education across the entire African continent, Google has funded 53 organizations and grassroots groups across 11 countries. Grants awarded specifically supported the rollout of training sessions for thousands of teachers and actual CS and coding workshops for over 100,000 students during ACW 2018.

The far-reaching impact of Google grants over the past few years speaks volumes about the importance of public-private partnerships on capacity-building strategies in the digital era. Launched in 2015 by SAP, the initiative is now actively supported by UNESCO YouthMobile, Google, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), 28 African governments, over 130 partners and 120 ambassadors across the continent.

Below you will find the list of Google grant recipients as part of Africa Code Week 2018, along with their respective stories at the time of thei grant application.

	Botswana
NGWANA ENTERPRISES			Ngwana will facilitate the development of coding and digital skills for educators, children and youth across Botswana.
The Clicking Generation			A 2 days workshop for teachers from 20 schools selected from Ngamiland area which is in the North-West part of Botswana. These are schools in rural areas who are fortunate to have computer labs but no skilled teachers to teach the students. 5 teachers will be selected from each school to participate making a total of 100 teachers. 10 Primary schools and 10 Secondary schools to participate.
The Clicking Generation			Students will be introduced to coding using scratch. 20 schools will introduce coding to a minimum of 200 students from standard 1 to standard 6, with other classes with students with disabilities. Bana Ba Letsatsi are orphans which range from 5 years to 18 years. We would be concentrating on students at Primary and Secondary school and students for special education, as well as orphans in Maun and surrounding villages.
Dream Factory Foundation Botswana			ACW Matenge seeks to empower 1000 young people empowered with basic coding skills through 1.5-hour digital learning workshops using SCRATCH. This initiative seeks to inspire and introduce youth residing in rural communities to the digital skills they need to make their dreams come true in this digital age.
	Ethiopia
STUDIO SAMUEL			Studio Samuel empowers at-risk girls to create and develop coding projects that express their artistry, enhance their critical thinking, advance their computer skills, and encourage them to expand their education and share their knowledge with others.
	The Gambia
Give1Project Gambia			Let kids code will organize series of coding sessions in rural setups. Most of the children who will be enrolled in the program will be complete beginners. This event will help spark interest in participants to pursue a career in ICT and related studies. The ICT Gap in The Gambia is very wide especially among girls and such events will train more people in ICT in obtaining the sustainable development goals.
	Ghana
The Learn Again Foundation			Code Shuttle is a learning experience where students aged between 11-16 learn coding by signing up on Google CS First platform. These students will be shuttled to KNUST to use high speed Internet to learn coding.
iSpace Foundation			A Coding and Digital Skills Program for kids to begin experimenting with visual blocks, then progress to HTML and CSS as they design websites, build apps, and make incredible projects. Our goal is for each participant to feel confident in coding, and to be able to continue to learn on their own with tools and resources that are available to them.
	Kenya
Rekindle Learning			Rekindle Learning Kenya CS Workshop Africa Code Week 2018 for Rural Schools: an initiative that enables students to learn Computer Science and prepare for the 4th Industrial Revolution with special emphasis on girl empowerment.
Kiwimbi Kenya Ngo			Computa Funguo wa Maisha is a Google-Funded Kiwimbi Program that teaches coding to rural children and trains teachers in rural schools to teach children coding skills and to prepare them for further education and a future of employability.
The Africa Centurion Initiative			Kids Comp Camp is a program that seeks to ensure that underprivileged students between the ages of 8 and 18 from slum and rural backgrounds have the computing knowledge to afford them the same opportunities their peers in urban areas enjoy.
Modcom Ltd.			Modcom's "Coding4All” project will introduce participants in Nairobi to coding during the Africa Code Week. “Coding4All” project will allow inclusivity of all young people, with a major focus on marginalized kids and gender balance.
African Maths Initiative			African Maths Initiative will organise an innovative workshop for local teachers in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. The main goal of the workshop is to set an agenda for initiatives to develop and improve computational thinking in schools and all participants are intended to play leadership roles.
	Lesotho
UNESCO-SMEF THAKAKHOALI			In 2018, UNESCO-SMEF Thakakhoali Mahlale mobile laboratory services will feature Africa Code Week on tour - using a mobile, solar-powered lab equipped with Android tablets so that kids in the rural and off grid areas of Lesotho are given the opportunity to code for the first time.
Soofia International School			Soofia International School will train 150 teachers minimum on Scratch and Web Development (HTML, CSS and Javascript). Courses will be provided by a team of master trainers who have already received training in Soofia.
	Malawi
mHub			mHub will be teaching basic coding skills using Scratch to 200 girls aged 12 to 18 during Africa Code Week 2018.
	Nigeria
InnoSoft Technologies			InnoSoft Technologies will be training teachers in coding skills so they can in turn train and mentor students in their respective schools.
Online Hub Educational Services			Online Hub plans to teach coding to 500 teachers from 500 community schools in Ogun State.
Dev's District			Dev's District will be organising "Code Hope", a program to introduce students in rural and low socioeconomic areas to computer science during Africa Code Week.
LearnFactory Nigeria			Learnfactory will be teaching coding skills to 1,000 children aged 10- 16 during Africa Code Week.
Be The Change Organization			Be the Change will be teaching students ages 14-18 years, within Suleja and Tafa Local Government of Niger State of Nigeria, an Introduction to Python.
Space Club FUTA			Based in the Federal University of Technology in Akure, Space Club FUTA will introduce the concepts of computer programming to 100 secondary school teachers in Akure. The hands on training and interactive lectures would ensure the teachers are well equipped to pass the knowledge onto their students during Africa Code Week.
Soparkids International			Soparkids International will introduce the language of coding with scratch, CS First & Robotics to children, giving them the awareness of computer science. The program will also teach them the importance of teamwork and collaboration to inspire them to become innovators.
Skyline Futuristic Eco West African Academy			Skyline Futuristic Eco West African Academy will be training 2100 children to write at least a line of code during Africa Code Week 2018. Most of the children trained will be from underprivileged backgrounds and a minimum of 45% of children trained will be young females passionate about Computer Science. The program will target Enugu South Local Government Area and its environs in Enugu State, Nigeria.
Greativation			Greativation will deliver a hands-on coding training organized to empower teachers of public secondary schools in the outskirts of Lagos and Ogun State with general basic Computing and Programming knowledge and to teach digital skills so that they can impact the knowledge and skill to the learners in the various schools they teach.
Bodex ICT Foundation			Bodex ICT Foundation will host a workshop to empower kids between the ages of 10-16 with basic computer and coding skills in the low socioeconomic area in Osun State Nigeria; to inspire creativity and to make them a better student in the real tech world and academics.
Curators Interactive			Curators Interactive will host a specially crafted STEM intervention program to help kids go beyond their regular school curriculum in preparation for the future workplace. Their focus will be on empowering students and teachers in Benin City, Edo State.
Codekajola			Codekajola ACW 2018 will train kids between age 11-18 years old across 4 local government areas of Oyo State, Nigeria. CodeKajola ACW 2018 will focus on training these kids Computer science learning activity. Main focus of learning will be based on CS-Unplugged and Scratch Coding.
Audax Solutions Limited			Audax will be hosting a free coding workshop for ages 9-18 to teach the fundamentals of computer programming.
KYM Signature Media			Code-dication seeks to teach coding to youth and spread the good news of coding to regions where it has never been heard before, beginning with Jos, Plateau State.
Initiative for the Development of the Next Generation			This group aims to train 120 teachers who can in turn impact over 2000 students within 4 months. At the workshop, teachers will learn the preliminary act of coding using Scratch and the Google CS-First curriculum with various video tutorials, PDF guide and online materials to aid self-development of participating teacher after the training.
Tych Zoe Global Network Ltd.			Tych Zoe Global Network is organizing an early child digital inclusion advocacy; equipping the students with skills that can solve problems using technology.
Euidem IT Solutions			For Africa Code Week, Euidem will be training 100 IT instructors across several Nigerian schools.
Imagine Tech Limited			YUNG coders is a practical coding experience organised by Imagine Tech Ltd. to empower kids/teenagers with basic computing and programming knowledge and to promote digital literacy within areas with little or no programming opportunities.
Codenonia Codecamp Series			Codenonia plans to utilize Africa Code Week by providing quality CS education to teachers, learners, and young ones in rural areas in Ekiti State.
Junior Achievement Nigeria			Equipping secondary school teachers with skills to teach coding in their respective schools, Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) is committed to raising a generation of young entrepreneurs equipped with relevant digital skills to thrive in a global economy. The goal is to get teachers excited about using coding to help students develop critical reasoning and design thinking skills that will prepare them for greater success in future.
Jaques Technology			An initiative to expose high school students in the rural area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State to the possibilities of computer science through storytelling, art, music, and sounds by leveraging CS First. In the end, students will have cultivated a creative mental state of approaching problems and will be ready to advance their knowledge in computer science.
Codespark Nigeria			Codespark Nigeria will deliver coding workshops to 2000 secondary school students.
TechQuest			TechQuest will deliver coding workshops to 3000 secondary school students across 6 states in Nigeria.
	South Africa
ICT CLUB MPUMALANGA			ICT Club will train teachers on Scratch coding in rural and township areas.
ICT CLUB MPUMALANGA			ICT Club will teach coding using Scratch (ncluding Scratch Junior for Grade 2-4) to learners in rural and township areas.
Dream Factory Foundation			Dream Factory will see 500 young people empowered with basic coding skills through 1.5-hour digital learning workshops using Scratch. This initiative seeks to inspire our youth to hone the digital skills they need to make their dreams come true in this digital age.
Code for Change			CodeJIKA will bring coding into over 500 secondary school students through student-run coding clubs.
Beautiful Gate SA			Beautiful Gate operates in a low socio-economic area in the townships outside Cape Town and will be introducing over 200 kids to coding.
ArcelorMittal Transformation Centre - Newcastle			ArcelorMittal will be running a program called Junior engineers in motion where 800 learners will learn about coding.
Sci-Enza Science Centre			Sci-Enza will host an Introduction to Scratch for learners from disadvantaged schools who are in Grade 7, 8 and 9. Learners will attend a 2-hour session each day at the University of Pretoria (Mamelodi Campus) from Monday to Thursday during Africa Code Week.
Fundanii			Unlocking Africa's future, one workshop at a time. Fundanii and Hudson Park Primary School are collaborating to bring coding and Computer Science to kids and their parents through a variety of one-hour workshops. The workshops will make use of Lightbot, Scratch, Sphero mini robots and even offline coding through dance choreography.
ORT SA CAPE			ORT SA CAPE will present Scratch coding workshops for underprivileged children aged 9 to 12 using Scratch and Lego WeDo robots.
Masana Social Innovations and Investments			The We Code program aims to make coding skills accessible and fun for youth in under-served communities to acquire relevant coding skills, that will enable them to also be self-sufficient and thus encouraging them to be coding entrepreneurs.
MOIPONE ACADEMY			Raising awareness and encouraging learners to pursue ICT careers.
MOIPONE ACADEMY			Deepening ICT understanding through coding.
Isisombuluo Community Improvement Programme NPC			Inkcubeko Youth and Science Centre are joining the Africa Code Week movement by introducing learners and teachers within the Eden district to coding using Scratch.
Siyafunda Community Technology Centre			SIYAFUNDA CTC plans to empower community centre trainers with coding skills enabling the centres to provide coding programmes to more than 50,000 learners at their centres during Africa Code Week.
	Togo
ARLT (ASSOCIATION POUR LA REFONDATION LAIQUE DU TOGO)			ACW INCLUSIVE TOGO 2018 is a program that aims to build mobile computer labs with trained coding volunteers. They will then travel to remote communities where there are no mobile labs in schools and introduce students and children from these disadvantaged communities to computer coding.
	Uganda
Youth for Reconciliation and Leadership			Previously known as IT4All, the Computer Science for Rural Schools is a project that was initiated to help rural students access skills in computer science. Working together with local rural schools, the project equips ICT teachers with the right skills in computer sciences. These teachers then pass on the skills to their teachers and keep supporting them throughout the year.

Africa has the largest and youngest workforce in the world, yet many companies present on the continent today are struggling to fill IT-related positions with local, qualified workforce. Currently, only one percent of African children leave school with basic coding skills. This is the reason why SAP and our partners launched the Africa Code Week initiative for the first time last year. Africa Code Week is a continent-wide initiative to foster digital literacy and to spark the interest of African children, teenagers and young adults in software coding.

I am proud that 89.000 young people across 17 African countries joined and received basic coding training during Africa Code Week in 2015. When I traveled to Nigeria in September, I joined a coding workshop at the Ojodu Junior Grammar School in the Ikeja Suburb of Lagos State and saw first-hand how quickly and skillfully the kids picked up the coding. I am convinced that coding is the pass to the digital world for young people in Africa.

This year we are even more ambitious. During Africa Code Week 2016, that will run from October 15 to 23, we hope to train more than 150.000 children and youth aged 8- to 24-years in 30 countries across Africa. The fact that Africa Code Week 2016 was launched today during The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, shows how meaningful this initiative has become.

SAP and hundreds of partners spanning local governments, NPOs, NGOs, educational institutions and businesses organize the train-the-trainer sessions, coding workshops and online trainings. I truly believe that there is no better way for SAP to ‘give something back’ than to equip Africa’s rising generation with job-relevant digital skills.