A New Blended Learning Experience for Cardano Developers in Africa
IOG Education and the Africa Blockchain Center (ABC) have collaborated to offer a two-month Cardano developer training course in Nairobi, Kenya. The goal of this course is to address the increasing demand for skilled blockchain developers in regions like Kenya where the supply is limited.
IOG’s Course Focuses On These Critical Skills
The course taught students Haskell, the programming language that underpins Cardano, as well as Plutus and Marlowe, which are smart contract languages. Despite Haskell’s complexity, the IOG team, including Robertino Martinez, Dr. Lars Brünjes, and Karina Lopez, designed the course to elevate beginners to competent developers.
Originally planned for 8 hours per day, the course was adapted to a 5-hour daily schedule to accommodate the students’ jobs and university commitments. This change was made to align with Kenya’s unique working culture where individuals often hold multiple jobs.
Students demonstrated strong commitment by attending classes after their morning work and continuing their studies until evening. The course included practical exercises and project work to facilitate hands-on learning and real-world application of skills.
Karina Lopez noted that there was active participation and enthusiasm among the students, particularly women, indicating a move towards greater diversity in blockchain and technology fields.
Kenyan Students Tackle Real-World Challenges With Cardano Technology
The program also included a personal project phase where students applied their skills to address community-specific problems. These projects ranged from decentralized lotteries to simulations of economic systems.
After completing the in-person training, the course transitioned online for an additional eight weeks. During this time, students delved into advanced topics and worked on project development. The extended course covered advanced Haskell training, the creation of Marlowe contracts, the writing of Plutus smart contracts, and the development of a functional stablecoin decentralized application (DApp).
The training in Nairobi also involved IOG’s participation in local tech events and exploration of Kenyan culture and environment, including visits to Nairobi National Park and the Maasai Market.
This program in Nairobi is a step towards addressing the need for blockchain developers in Africa and globally. Graduates of this course are equipped with the skills to build on the Cardano platform.
IOG’s education initiatives are expected to have a growing impact on the blockchain ecosystem and local communities. The Cardano ecosystem has been actively working on establishing a presence in Africa since 2020 when IOG opened an office in the region.
Hot Take: Cardano’s Commitment to Africa
The collaboration between IOG Education and the Africa Blockchain Center represents Cardano’s commitment to fostering blockchain development in Africa. By offering comprehensive training programs, Cardano aims to bridge the gap between demand and supply for skilled developers. These initiatives not only contribute to the growth of the blockchain ecosystem but also promote diversity in technology fields by encouraging greater participation from underrepresented groups such as women. With partnerships like World Mobile and the Ethiopian government, Cardano continues to expand its reach and make a lasting impact on African communities.
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