About us ...

iCog - Anyone Can Code (iCog - ACC) project is aimed at laying a framework for African young adults and kids where they will have the opportunity to be introduced to programming, computers, electronics, Internet of Things (IoT) and another emerging technology at an early age.

iCog-ACC believes the future of Africa depends on the young people of today, and it is important that we develop this talent while it is young to ensure that we do not lose it later. We have a solution that can effectively address and radically change the current education system through enabling our students to become part of a global campaign that will see them being able to compete with the best around the world.

ACC is an opportunity to bring coding to classrooms in a fun and immersive manner. It also has the capacity to do more for education in Africa than any other single movement and this is because the effective learning environment of the 21st century is based on access to Information Technology and the efficiencies in learning it brings.

What We Do

We teach young people between the ages of 8-18 how to code, develop website apps, programs, games and be able to program and control robots, lights and various displays etc. working with such programs as scratch, python, HTML/CSS and more, kids learn the basics of coding language, syntax and logic in a relaxed supportive environment.

We believe in learning through making, and our coding projects offer young people plenty of opportunities to be creative and share their creations with each other. We are not only teaching young children to be computer scientists but innovators & critical thinkers.

What We Offer

Academy

We have an academy program that is located in Addis Ababa. We are working along with private schools to establish these academies in their compounds.

Summer Camps

During summer breaks we conduct summer camps with two hours of training in selected schools and locations. We have conducted three consecutive summer camps for the year 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Workshops

One of the ways through which iCog-ACC plans to reach the young community is through workshops launched for free in different public high schools and public universities using funds or grants given by different sponsors.

iCog-ACC Centers

We are working with government organizations such as the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Innovation and Technology and Ethiopian Science Academy to create centers throughout the country that provide training for students and are equipped with the tools and resources that are needed to create innovative solutions.

Our Team

Betelhem Dessie

Founder/CEO

Binnet Seck

Partner, International Relations

Hawi Mosissa

COO

Hermela Fikre

CTO


Yadel Mekete

Business Unit Head

Hana Alemayehu

Foundation Unit Head

Selamawit Abera

Trainer/Manual Developer

Yeshalem Mebrahtu

Trainer/Manual Developer


Meron Worku

Trainer/Manual Developer

Gelila Kifle

Communications Officer

Blen Mekonnen

Associate Communications Director

Heldana Michael

Associate Communications Director


Mikiyas Amenu

Graphics Designer


Our Experience

We have collaborated with the International Bureau of Education – UNESCO and Singularity NET in research and development of a curriculum for the 21st-century skills that will be integrated from K-12. The first pilots were launched in Turkey - March 2019 and in Seychelles - May 2019.

IBE-UNESCO & Singularity NET Collaboration


Our lab collaborated with the World Bank (WB) on a project that aims to introduce Project Based Learning (PBL) to our country’s school system. We were selected as one of the trainers in their weeklong workshop conducted at the WB’s head office.

The World Bank


In collaboration with the U. S. Embassy, the Girls Can Code Project taught 40 girls for a year from 10 public schools in Addis Ababa. This was the first workshop we launched to selected students from different public schools using the grant given to us by the U.S. Embassy. The U.S. Embassy gave us a grant to train 100 interested girls from the 10 public schools in 10 weeks. Because of our excellent performance in implementing these trainings, the embassy has now given us a grant of 93,000 dollars to launch a nationwide technology innovation competition.

Girls Can Code