A few weeks ago I had the unique opportunity to go to the Transform Africa Summit 2017 in Kigali. The focus of this Summit was “Smart Cities: Fast Forward”. Having started in 2013, the purpose of this conference was to enable the younger generation of Africa to participate in the 4th Industrial revolution through technological innovation, skill and infrastructure development and market creation with the goal of lifting them from poverty towards prosperity.
With 17 member states joining these efforts in 2017, this goal has taken new shape, with a focus on leveraging the power of our current digital era to impact Africa from a socio-economic standpoint, built upon sustainable strategies for generation to come. Topics included a range of programs around Smart Cities (and Villages), Unleashing African Innovation Potential and Digital Talent in the Globalized Economy, amongst others.
Heads of State, First Ladies, Vice Presidents and many other leaders attended, which was a testament to the fact that African countries are working towards the common goals around improving digital connectivity across the continent. And, each honorable attendee praised President Kagame’s efforts to spearhead this much-needed move forward. It was emphasized over and over again that, to truly earn a seat on the global stage, pan-African collaboration in addition to private sector and NGOs involvement is much needed.
While for me, this was a significant chance to understand the African ICT landscape, I had my own important mission – interact and connect with technology companies (both big and small) who can help bring greater digital access and innovation to ASYV. As an organization, we are committed to bringing our students the best quality education out there with the goal of equipping them to succeed once they graduate. Our teachers are gifted and dedicated but they do not have all the resources that they need in order to really push our students to think critically. We hope to change that. Through technology we aim to create opportunities for our students to become change-makers, which involves greater connectivity and access to learning that can go beyond the classroom and into the real world. Understanding from others who have already implemented such classrooms and understanding how, with technology, curiosity, exploration and smarter learning can take place will be a great value for ASYV.
It is clear that the opportunities out there for our kids are enormous. Creating a business in Rwanda right now is exceptionally easy – sometimes taking only 1 weeks time. And, in terms of investors’ interest, African entrepreneurs are getting more attention than ever before. ICT is being pushed both in the classroom and in the real world, and rightfully so, as there continues to be more and more opportunities sprouting up (both homegrown and foreign) that can lead to brighter futures for our ASYV students.
Which leads me back to my assigned mission: how to improve connectivity and access for our 500+ students. We are making headway on multiple fronts thanks to friends and connections made both at the Summit. I am looking forward to the amazing opportunities that are possible for our students if this leads to success. Think about what can be done once our passionate, information-hungry students get their hands on the technologies that many of us in the rest of the world so take for granted. I can’t wait.
