Funded and backed by Amazon Web Services (AWS), Tangible Africa is reshaping the landscape of coding education for children across the continent through innovative gaming platforms. But its impact doesn't stop there.
In addition to equipping learners with essential coding skills, Tangible Africa empowers educators with tailored training programs and facilitation support, bridging the digital divide for teachers and students alike.
The journey began in Gqeberha, South Africa, when 21-year-old student Byron Batteson developed the TANKS app for his Honours project in 2017. Building upon this concept, Prof Jean Greyling of Mandela University's Computing Sciences Department transformed it into a fully-fledged initiative in collaboration with the Leva Foundation. While Byron now works at AWS offices in Dublin, Prof Greyling continues to mentor students and oversee Tangible Africa's expansion through Leva Foundation.
Since its inception, Tangible Africa has made a profound impact on thousands of children and teachers across Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, and even Ireland.
At the heart of Tangible Africa's efforts lies its flagship initiative, the RANGERS smartphone app. This app gamifies coding education, ensuring accessibility even in regions with limited access to computers, Internet, or electricity. Supported by AWS, the app operates offline, allowing learners from underserved communities to grasp coding fundamentals while enjoying the learning process. Leveraging Android, the predominant mobile operating system in Africa, RANGERS delivers coding education to thousands of students.
Prof Greyling underscores the alarming digital skills gap in Africa, citing a 2023 World Bank report revealing that only 50% of African countries include computer skills in their school curriculum, compared to 85% globally. "Initiatives like Tangible Africa play a crucial role in preparing African children for a tech-driven future," says Greyling. "But the impact should extend to teachers as well, as they are the ones nurturing a passion for tech at the grassroots level."
AWS's support has been pivotal in scaling Tangible Africa's impact, notes Aanya Niaz, Education Equity Lead at AWS. "We are immensely proud to support initiatives like Tangible Africa. This goes beyond mere funding; it's about driving a collective mission to elevate the continent by unlocking the doors to a digitally-driven future," says Niaz.
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