Kids Can Code!!

Our basic education system has not yet introduced Digital Skills as a compulsory subject or as part of learning programs from Primary to Secondary Education levels yet in our country 90% of transactions are done digitally. Most of our daily payments are made using mobile phones but about 95% of our population lack knowledge on how such payment applications are designed. Moreover, businesses are adopting digital systems at a celerity rate due to Covid-19 yet many employees do not understand such systems and how they operate. Furthermore, companies or businesses are implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) to digitalize their operations and when they experience some issues with the systems they fail to bridge the gaps because of lack of digital skills knowledge. Unemployment rate is also increasing as many careers or business activities are getting digitalized. For instance, cashiers are losing their jobs due to online payment systems having been introduced to adhere with social distance requirements. Kids can code solution program will create awareness about the importance of Digital Skills, educate kids how to code, and align their careers with Digital Technology to ensure concrete career foundation for their future. 

We would like to empower the young generation with 21st Century or Digital Skills. We provide practical training programs to children from the age of 7. We provide virtual training programs using platforms such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Skype, Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Meet and Webex Meetings to conduct training sessions. We are quite confident that by implementing these platforms we will be able to reach every young child across all developing nations in Africa. The Kids Can Code program will take part to ensure awareness reaches every young child in Africa.

Our solution will empower the young generation with 21st Century Skills and pave way for their future careers. Children from Primary and Secondary Education in our country are not yet introduced to the 21st Century Skills. We have introduced smartphone practical training programs which will make it easy for them to get trained using virtual lessons. As they graduate from Primary and Secondary education, it will be easy for them to join the world and get started with their careers. Digital skills are the world's top skills and modelling a child with such skills could help them drive their dreams with optimistic spirit.  

We are providing digital services in Mutoko District, a remote and rural area. As we market our services on daily basis, many people had been asking if we could train young ones to pave way for their future digital environment. Eventually, we decided to launch KIDS CAN CODE to meet the needs of our community. The KIDS CAN CODE campaign is taking place on various Social Medias such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We are also driving this campaign directly within the communities. We have marketing team which is specifically marketing kid’s programs on daily basis. As we use applications such as mobile money on daily basis, parents are eager to invest in Digital Skills for their children.

At the moment, we are targeting individuals with their own laptops or smartphones. It was our last resort to train individuals using smartphones as 95% of the population in rural areas do not have personal computers. Small screen gadgets could also affect the performance of children in acquiring the skills. We think that, as a company, the kids can learn much better and faster if they get trained using desktops. Some children discontinue the training programs as a result of power cuts and unstable internet connections at their own places. We are looking for funding to buy computers and setup training centers to enhance our service delivery in rural areas. We do hope that Solve could help us overcome these challenges.

The KIDS CAN CODE program will create awareness about the importance of 21st Century Skills. The communities will begin to understand that every career should be aligned with Digital Skills. As we are the first company to offer such skills in my community, there will be a strong impact both within my community and abroad. Since we are using this era’s technology such as virtual training programs, we can touch almost every child and empower them with the skills. The program creates entrepreneurial opportunities for the young ones and also get them prepared with the current work environment required skills. Since the technology has taken up employment for many, the future generation will be equipped with various skills including Digital Technology.

One Year Goals

-To train at least 3000 children in my community and abroad. We will use virtual training programs to reach every child.

-To introduce our services across all provinces in Zimbabwe. We will set up our offices in each and every province to make our services accessible to everyone.

-To introduce 21st Century skills discussions on radio to expedite the awareness of our services. The company will recruit a team which will be driving radio and TV shows.

Five Year Goals

-To set up 5 Training Centers in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. We will achieve our goal through use of funding strategies and revenues generated by the company.

-To train at least 15000 Children in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. We will make use of virtual training programs distributed using social and formal media platforms.

-To introduce Digital Skills program at Primary and Secondary School levels in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. We will make use of computer labs that are readily available in schools and introduce virtual training programs for easy access to children.

-To create employment opportunities for more than 20000 people in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. All individuals who will be successful in their training programs will join the company as developers in various respective fields.

I believe that impossible is meaningless, as we show the community the importance of KIDS CAN CODE program and highlighting current problems undergrads facing after college graduation the community will embrace the initiative. They will understand the need to acquire 21st Century skills at a tender age.

We are using virtual training programs (Video Lessons) and they are delivered using laptops/desktops or smartphones. We send video lessons using applications such as WhatsApp and Zoom. We also provide training sessions using email address. Lessons are conducted anywhere any time. We conduct assessment after every stage and a project is assigned to finalise the training program.