𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐏 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚

𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐏 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚

Students from across Sub-Saharan Africa convened in Shenzhen, China, for the LEAP Digital Talent Study Camp, a week-long programme designed to equip young learners with advanced digital skills and encourage innovation.

The camp offered technical courses covering topics like 5G and 5.5G technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud computing, as well as a leadership workshop.

The event concluded with the Tech4Good competition, where teams from different countries collaborated to develop technology-driven solutions to address pressing societal issues.

Africa-China analyst and founder of ReVodution and Jaspora Tokyo, Sena Voncuvoji, emphasised the transformative nature of the programme.

“It fosters collaboration, leadership, and innovation among young minds, ensuring they are well-prepared to address real-world challenges using technology,” Voncuvoji said in a press statement.

Among the participants, Kenya was represented by ten students from various universities, who formed two teams to compete in the Tech4Good challenge.

For instance, one Kenyan team developed an innovative solution called Mafreeco, inspired by the Swahili term “mafuriko” (floods), which proposes a smart system to tackle Kenya’s recurrent flooding crisis by clearing drainage systems of trash and debris, helping mitigate flood damage.

The Mafreeco team’s ingenuity and technical expertise earned them a spot in the Tech4Good finals, where they competed against top teams from South Africa, Mauritius, and Malawi.

Ashley Yigo, a member of the Mafreeco team, described the experience as both exhilarating and challenging. “The week was incredibly exhilarating, especially when our group advanced to the finals despite working with just 1-2 hours of sleep a day to execute our project to perfection,” Yigo shared.

Beyond the competition, the camp offered participants hands-on learning with cutting-edge technologies and valuable networking opportunities. It also allowed for cultural exchanges, strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration.

The LEAP Digital Talent Study Camp is part of Huawei’s broader initiative to cultivate a digitally skilled workforce in Africa, empowering the continent’s youth to leverage technology for social and economic development.