In Togo’s bustling capital of Lomé, the Digital School Summer Camp is turning traditional summer break activities on their head.
The program plunges young minds directly into the world of tech with a clear mission: to cultivate Africa’s next generation of digital pioneers.
Whether they are writing lines of code, building mechanical robots, or experimenting with artificial intelligence, these children are getting a hands-on head start.
Fourteen-year-old Winner Koudjra is one of about 20 enthusiastic children participating in the camp.
Sitting at a workstation covered in wires and circuits, she works with impressive precision to construct her very first robotic prototype.
“I am building a robotic hand consisting of pincers and a motor centre. Since I started here, I have learnt about the role of technology in today’s world and the components of a robotic hand or other technological devices.”
For Winner and her peers, technology is not just a screen to look at; it is something to dissect, understand, and build. After working on physical hardware, Winner seamlessly transitions to a computer screen to tackle software development.
“We’re working on modifying a web page to create an artificial intelligence. With what I’m learning here, I’d like to be able to create my own website.”
Beyond teaching technical skills, the Lomé Digital School is actively working to dismantle the gender imbalance in tech. Global statistics from UNESCO paint a stark picture:
Women make up only 35 percent of STEM graduates globally.
Only 26 percent of professionals working in data and artificial intelligence are women.
To combat this disparity, the camp places a heavy focus on gender equality and provides financial aid grants to ensure children from low-income households are not left behind.
The director of the school, Got’liebe Bataba, emphasizes the importance of early exposure to these tools for young girls:
“So that in the future we won’t have to try to make up for the lack of women in the digital sector. Beyond the technical aspects, what we’re trying to foster in these children is critical thinking.”
Parents have warmly welcomed the initiative. Vanessa Lawson, whose child is currently enrolled in the summer program, expressed her appreciation for the camp’s forward-thinking approach.
“It’s an initiative that deserves praise. It already helps to introduce our children to technology at an early age.”
Ultimately, the school is doing much more than teaching children how to use computers. It is empowering young Africans to develop local, technology-driven solutions for the continent’s future challenges.
