SeedDev and Dzeuls Foundation did it again, and we are not stopping anytime soon. Saturday, 21st June 2025, it was the continuation of a journey, last year we trained, mentored and graduated the first cohort of participants, and they are doing phenomenal, this year we decided to take it a notch higher by swapping interactive boards for keyboards and turning curiosity into creativity for about 300+ kids. For most of the kids, this wasn’t just about learning to use a system; it was their first time writing code, exploring artificial intelligence with ChatGPT, and seeing themselves as creators. It marked the first time they realized they could build, design, and contribute to the digital world. 30 children per batch for 10 batches, and the kids were stretched from learning digital basics like typing and mouse navigation, to writing 4 lines of code in HTML. They explored AI through ChatGPT, and we took pictures of them and converted them using prompts. They even got a taste of virtual reality when the VR headsets came on, every kid had that look on their face that screamed with amazement. Some laughed, some cried, but all were in awe. For many, it was their first time experiencing a world beyond their physical environment. Our curators worked patiently, helping kids overcome shyness and fear of damaging devices. There were challenges, but the breakthrough was greater. By the end of the day, over 180 kids had used a computer for the first time. More than 250 had written their first lines of code, and they had begun to see themselves as part of the tech future. Ijero Tech Day 2025 wasn’t just a program. It was a spark. SeedDEV and Dzuels Foundation remain committed to continuing this journey, reaching more kids, telling more stories, and opening more doors. One kid. One system. One future at a time.

On the 8th of January, 2025, we visited a school 347 km away from Lagos, in a small town in the southwestern part of Nigeria, named Imade College Owo, to kick off a project for students (aged 10-14) in public secondary schools in Nigeria to solve a problem in their school or community. The objective of the project is to promote student's critical thinking and problem-solving skills on AI and Machine Learning concepts using PictoBlox. Mutembei Kariuki, CEO of Fastagger, highlights that AI/ML's role in handling routine tasks can elevate teachers to serve more as mentors, enhancing the overall educational experience. Despite its potential, the adoption of Artificial intelligence and machine learning in African education systems faces challenges. At Imade College Owo, we selected 50 students across SS1 and SS2 to participate. They were broken into 10 teams, each working on a project throughout the training. They had to start from the basics, and we covered a detailed curriculum step by step to help them learn effectively. After a period of 8 weeks, the students were able to create projects such as a machine learning model using image classification, a system using face recognition that can detect different facial expressions, and an AI-powered virtual assistant that can respond to basic questions or perform simple tasks based on user commands. The ripple effect started when they started to train their other classmates, build simple projects that were relevant in the context of their vicinity and implement them for real-life cases. Students at Imade College Owo are on a roll, and they are pulling their weight to build 40 more projects before the end of the academic session.

The most asked question and most said statement while we were at Victory College, Ikare, was: "Do you understand? Let me know if you want me to go over it again!" Our mission was to introduce the students to the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) using PictoBlox. We worked with 50 students, a diverse mix of male and female, both creative and technical, quiet and hyperactive — dividing them into ten teams to ensure hands-on learning and collaboration. We started from the very basics: defining AI and its real-world applications and understanding the importance of AI in today's world. Introducing Machine Learning, its types (supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning), and its applications. With this solid foundation, the students were ready to embark on their own AI-powered projects. Each team took on a unique project that tackled real-world problems in their school or community: Team 1 - Alpha: Detecting Bad Fruits Using AI. Team 2 - Bravo: Interactive Classroom Information Display Using Finger Gestures. Team 3 - Delta: Interactive Classroom Items Learning Using Object Detection. Team 4 - Echo: AI Chatbot for Mental Health Advice & Support. Team 5 - Foxtrot: Interactive School History Chatbot. Team 6 - Golf: Interactive Town Information Chatbot. Team 7 - Kilo: Smart Attendance System with Face Recognition. Team 8 - Oscar: Determining Weather Conditions Using AI. Team 9 - Sierra: Detecting Plant Health Using AI. Team 10 - Quebec: Sorting Recyclable Materials Using AI. Beyond just learning AI concepts, our goal was to empower these students to think outside the box—analyzing everyday challenges and solving them in innovative, analytical, and creative ways. And we did exactly that. The excitement, curiosity, and enthusiasm from the students confirmed one thing: The future of AI in Nigeria is bright, and we will start with young minds like these.

The event at Kinder Schuul was scheduled for the 2nd of October, to celebrate the independence day with the pupils of the school, to further demonstrate our commitment to building the future leaders of Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. However, we had to reschedule to the 6th of October. 50 students were trained during the program. We introduced the students to computer programming with scratch and also touch typing, helping the students to know how to type effectively and efficiently.

Our Next stop over during the project was at L.A Primary School, Araromi in Ondo State Nigeria. Also in this school 30 students were trained and introduced to computing and coding using the SeedDEV learning application which introduces these kids to programming. For most schools in this area visited, kids growing here do not have access to computers hence,our next project is to plant a SeedBOX ( Solar Powered, Internet Enabled, Air conditioned, computer facility). Which would serve as computer facility where these kids would continue to learn even after the training.

Chère Amie / Cher Ami, Je m'appelle Mame Ndiaye SENE, je viens du Sénégal plus précisément de Dakar, en Afrique de l’Ouest. Je suis âgée de 32 ans. Je voulais prendre un moment pour t'écrire cette lettre. Même si nous ne nous connaissons pas, je tiens à te dire que je pense à toi et que tu es important. Je sais que la vie peut être difficile et que parfois, il peut sembler que les obstacles sont trop grands à surmonter. Mais sache que tu as en toi une force incroyable, une résilience qui te permettra de surmonter les défis. Chaque jour est une nouvelle opportunité d'apprendre, de grandir et de rêver. L'éducation est une clé importante pour ouvrir de nombreuses portes dans la vie. Si tu as la chance d'aller à l'école, je t'encourage à étudier avec détermination. Apprends tout ce que tu peux, non seulement pour obtenir de bonnes notes, mais surtout pour acquérir des connaissances qui te permettront de réaliser tes rêves. Même si l'école peut sembler difficile, chaque leçon apprise te rapproche un peu plus de ton avenir. N'oublie jamais que tu n'es pas seul. Il y a des gens partout dans le monde qui se soucient de toi et qui croient en ton potentiel. Tu as des talents uniques et des rêves précieux. Continue à travailler dur, à être gentil avec les autres, et surtout, à croire en toi-même. Peu importe les difficultés que tu peux rencontrer, garde toujours espoir. L'espoir est une lumière qui peut illuminer même les jours les plus sombres. Crois en toi, suis tes rêves et souviens-toi que tu as la capacité de faire de grandes choses. Je te souhaite tout le meilleur dans tout ce que tu entreprends. Que ta vie soit remplie de bonheur, de réussite et d'amour. Avec toute mon amitié, Mame Ndiaye SENE