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.

A two hour workshop delivered to 100 teachers and school principals/directors on technology, teaching and preparing children for the future of work. The event was organized by Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency and the training delivered by SeedDEV & Future Academy Africa. Teachers were taught how to use technology tools to aid their teaching process Understanding the next billion users Understanding how Artificial Intelligence will aid teaching Preparing the students for the Future of Work.

"Hour of Code " is global initiative created to sensitize kids, teenagers and young adults about technology, digital literacy and computer programming. It is usually a week long project with events organized globally to commemorate the computer science education week. For the 2017 edition of "Hour of Code", we partnered with "KidsnTech" and Microsoft Nigeria, to train 800 students in 8 schools in Akure Ondo State, Nigeria. The events started with the team touring round the participating schools on Monday 4th of December 2017, the training session started on the following day. Each day we visited two schools and trained the students using scratch and Minecraft. The project was a great success and a good experience for the team.

In the heart of Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria, lay a small community filled with dreams as vast as the African savannah. Their aspirations were limited by a digital divide that seemed insurmountable. But hope was on the horizon when a team of passionate educators and tech enthusiasts, SeedDev in partnership with Dzuels Foundation established a SeedBOX, with the sole purpose of bringing digital literacy to the town. We, at SeedDev, believe that "talents are equally distributed but opportunities are not" - 'Kitan David. With 24 eager children who had never touched a computer, we began a historic journey to write history and we can boldly say that they have moved from computer Novices to creative trailblazers in just a few weeks. We kicked off operations on the 1st of July 2023, and the first day of training was a sight to behold. Kids within the age range of 9 to 16 years were gathered in the SeedBox. Our experienced curators introduced them to the world of computers. They explained the basics: hardware, software, and the magic that happened when they worked together. The kids listened attentively, and their curiosity ignited. Our curators knew that, building digital literacy from ground zero required patience and creativity. We started with the basics: teaching the children how to use a mouse and keyboard. It was akin to introducing them to a new world language. The children stumbled and clicked randomly, but with perseverance, they began to understand. They learned to navigate the desktop and open files, and soon, they were typing words and sentences in simple documents. As the weeks passed, the children's skills grew. Curators introduced them to word processing using Google Docs, spreadsheet calculations with Google Sheets, and creating captivating presentations with Google Slides. The children wrote essays, calculated imaginary budgets, and delivered presentations on their favourite topics. Curators took it a notch higher, when they introduced the children to Scratch, a platform for coding and creating interactive stories, games, and animations. It was a moment of pure magic. The children's faces lit up as they learned to create their characters, code movements, and add sound effects. In their newfound digital playground, they unleashed their creativity, building games inspired by stories from their community. With each line of code, they were not only learning computer skills but also preserving their cultural heritage. Every small achievement was celebrated, and the children's confidence soared. They realized that the computer was not a distant and intimidating machine but a tool that could bring their dreams closer to reality. Days turned into months and the transformation is nothing short of remarkable. The children who once struggled to use a mouse are now confidently navigating the digital world. They can create documents, analyse data, and design games with ease. With the newfound digital literacy, the kids at Ijero have opened doors to a world of opportunities. They are no longer limited by the digital divide that had once held them back. "We understand the power of education and tech to transform lives and we remain committed to nurturing these kids' passion for learning, ensuring that the Ijero Ekiti project is just the beginning of a brighter future filled with endless possibilities." - Arinola Addo Daniel.