She is in the lot of personalities who are advancing Tech in the DRC. Founder of the company "KOLESHA", Sandrine Tshiamala Molamba trains young people aged 7 to 17 in programming and robotics. Through the “Play & Code Academy R.D.C” structure, it has set itself the mission of immersing young Congolese in the world of robotics and new technologies. On the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, CONGOPROFOND.NET went to meet her in order to identify the outlines of her vision for the education of young people. Interview.
CONGOPROFOND.NET: Can you explain to us what “Play & Code Academy DRC” is?
Sandrine Tshiamala: "Play & Code Academy DRC" is a robotics and coding center for children set up by KOLESHA SARLU, a company in the education sector in the DRC. "Play & Code Academy" offers programming and robotics workshops to children aged 7 to 17 enrolled in its center located in SILIKIN VILLAGE in Kinshasa as well as those from partner primary and secondary schools.
What are you doing exactly?
Sandrine Tshiamala: With “Play & Code Academy RDC”, we do exactly four things:
- We give children the skills they need for the future; the future is digital! the future is STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). And robotics and Coding is a great way to prepare for it.
- We try to give Congolese children a quality education adapted to the 21st century and to international standards.
- We organize tech courses for holidays for the benefit of children, kids days for the children of company employees, birthdays for individuals, school outings, etc.
- We organize national robotics and coding competitions to stimulate the interest of children and the Congolese public in robotics and coding. We also involve Congolese children who are champions of the DRC in international robotics competitions for which we have exclusivity for the DRC. These are the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) and the World Robot Olympiad (WRO)
What are your short and long term business goals?
Sandrine Tshiamala: In the short term, we want to launch our “DRC Kids can code” pilot project in the different provinces of the DRC, training for students in public and private schools. In the medium and long term, we want to give all Congolese children the digital skills they need for their future and for the sustainable economic development of the DRC by including the programming and robotics program in the national curriculum at primary and secondary level.
What are the difficulties encountered by “Play & Code Academy RDC” in its work so far?
Sandrine Tshiamala: First, understanding. In a field that is new in the educational environment, we find it difficult to make ourselves understood. Then, we have financial and logistical difficulties in reaching and impacting as many children as possible.
What support would your business need from government, education businesses and organizations to successfully achieve its goals?
Sandrine Tshiamala: As of today, we do not yet have support but we have files under study with the Congolese government (in particular the Ministry of Digital and EPST) and some contacts with certain businesses. We hope that these processes will succeed. We need government support to help us popularize our program in public schools
How does your company collaborate with other education actors to improve children's learning in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Sandrine Tshiamala: For the moment, our extracurricular workshops with certain private schools allow us to train a few more children (thanks to the schools who trust us). There is also the Science and Technology Week where we are partners for the tenth edition which will take place this year 2023.
What are the future projects of “Play & Code Academy DRC” to develop its impact in Congolese and African society in general?
Sandrine Tshiamala: So, KOLESHA SARLU, in its Play & Code Academy DRC branch, is launching 3 major projects for this year 2023, apart from the other associated projects:
– The Binti Club, which is a club for girls from all over the Democratic Republic of Congo aged between 07 and 17, and which aims to arouse more interest in young Congolese girls in the weakly technological field. represented by women; This project will be launched this month of March, women's month.
– DRC Kids can code, is another national project which consists of bringing robotics and Coding to all public and private schools in the DRC. The pilot project is intended to be launched during the 2023-2024 school year and will concern a few schools in different provinces.
– Finally, the National Robotics Competition. This year, we plan to organize a national competition FIRST LEGO League at the end of the year which will compete with teams from Kinshasa schools that have subscribed.
Note that the champion team will be eligible to participate in the FIRST LEGO League 2024 international competition.
How do you envision collaborating with companies and organizations operating in the field of education to support the mission of your company?
Sandrine Tshiamala: We are very open to collaborations with all the companies that wish it because we are convinced that together we can do great things for our nation. Our nation needs a well-educated population to face the various challenges of today and the future.
How do you see the role of technology in education in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Sandrine Tshiamala: The world today is led by those who have advanced technology. A country that wants to have a place of choice in the concert of nations must justify technological knowledge and this is what our country needs in particular. All areas of a nation's life are greatly affected.
How do you encourage young people to take an interest in information and communication science and technology (ICT)?
Sandrine Tshiamala: As far as we are concerned, we organize discovery workshops, workshops that allow them to have a general view of the technological world. We use examples based on the experience of real life and our environment to arouse their interest in the issues and challenges observed. We finally launched Binti Club, so that young girls are informed and influenced by other girls who have succeeded in the field and that they share their experience.
What message would you like to send to potential partners and the education community in general to involve them in your mission to promote education and ICT in the DRC?
Sandrine Tshiamala: Come support and invest in the education of our children and together let's give them the same chances as their counterparts in other places to be useful, competitive and above all a lever for the development of our country. Contact us!
Interview by Tchèques Bukasa
Source: https://congoprofond.net
Congo Profond (RD CONGO)
