The Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation and Fliptin Venture Builder will deliver ‘AI in Africa’, a series of high-impact education driven initiatives with a focus on youth empowerment for high school learners through the month of June. ‘AI in Africa’ is focussed on exposing young South Africans to technology that will prepare them to compete in a digitally driven economy.
Kicking off in Cape Town on June 7 through to June 9, ‘AI in Khayelitsha’ will gather 60 girls from Chris Hani Secondary school, Harry Gwala Secondary school, Joe Slovo Secondary school, Siphamandla Secondary school and Usasazo High School in Khayelitsha. The girls aged 15 to 18 years will participate in a three-day bootcamp which is centred on using Artificial Intelligence and design thinking to create purposeful, high impact solutions that tackle social challenges in their communities.
These girls-only bootcamps attempt to address the systematic exclusion of youth in a variety of 21st-century careers by offering a powerful platform to acquire new tools and knowledge, bettering their prospects at female digital inclusion and subsequently, socio-economic forecast.
“AI in Khayelitsha” forms part of the nationwide “AI in Africa” series of bootcamps for girls aged 15 to 18 years old in historically disadvantaged communities to create purposeful, high impact solutions that tackle challenges ranging from community safety to unemployment and education.
The youth are taken through a dynamic journey of contemporary education methodologies to learn the concepts and ethics of digital technology and how to apply technology to their daily lives to create solutions for their communities. The three-day exercise will expose these learners to a working environment of cutting-edge technologies including how to build computer chatbots, package their individual tech ideas and solutions, and pitch their innovations to a panel of judges.
On June 13 – June 15, ‘AI in Africa’ heads to Johannesburg to partner with the Gauteng Provincial Government and African Women and Youth (WAY) Foundation at the 5th annual Gauteng Youth career, jobs and entrepreneurship Expo in Nasrec. The Youth Expo features various activities including exhibitions, discussions and workshops and provides information and live services to youth on careers, jobs and work exposure, as well as how to start, run and operate a business.
AI in Africa with curriculum partners The Idea Collective, The Brand Station, Kimard Studio, Microsoft and Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT) will guide participants through a process to create a fictional, technologically advanced Super-citizen of the future, who uses their powers for positive social change. Learners will be taught design thinking, storytelling and film making as well as shown how to utilise AI an Augmented Reality in order to bring the character to life.
On June 17, Fliptin will partner with Veromo Enterprises to host a Digital Dialogue under the theme, ‘21st Century Skills’ will bring together leaders from the corporate and government sectors, academics, entrepreneurs and job seekers to discuss the accessibility of opportunities for young people.
Mustapha Zaouini, Head of Innovation at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation says, “The aim of this youth month is to give young people a glimpse of what the future of work may look like and give them access to tools, concepts and access to 21st-century skills.”
Throughout this series of events, learners will be mentored by leading professionals and entrepreneurs to deliver a stimulating series of workshops to excite and inspire the youth to reach their fullest potential.
All content is carefully crafted to merge technology and entrepreneurship through an understanding of tech (AI) as well as design thinking and business models.
Edited by Fundisiwe Maseko
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