“We bring together the problems we’ve seen in different parts of Africa and we are all trying to create together solutions to the problems we have experienced in different parts of the continent,”
Well, that’s what it’s all about; discovering problems and creating solutions……..
Olajide is one in a group of five young and ebullient young African men, whose hearts burn intensely with the fire of change and reformation, especially for the African educational sector. Their undying passion for education stems from their desire to create and make hugely accessible, the very things they lacked as young school children.
They are the founders of Funda, an online training platform that partners with universities in South Africa to provide short e-courses for subscribers.
“At Funda, we develop learning management systems and provide content development services to higher institutions to take their courses online so that the general public can access them at a cheaper price,” he tells CNN African Startup.
The 23 year old entrepreneur with his partners— Kennedy Kitheka (Kenya), Jason Muloongo (Zambia), Sameer Rawjee (South Africa) and Kumbirai Gundani (Zimbabwe) – are set to revolutionize the education sector in the most amazing way. They believe that education is the main stake on which the future of the continent is hinged.
Born and Raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Kolawole Olajide is the second child in a family of six. He completed his high school education and then traveled to South Africa to study information systems engineering.
The idea for Funda sprouted from Olajide’s hunger for change and resilience. His aim was to rise above the enormous resistance and disappointment he faced when he tried to start the company in his homeland of Nigeria.
“It was very difficult because they were not digitally ready,” he recalls. “They did not understand what I was trying to do. The second problem I faced was internet penetration in the country. I thought South Africa was more stable so Funda had a higher chance of success there because many people already have the Internet.”
How it works……..
Funda’s free mobile app can be downloaded to a user’s smartphone. Students can access the e-learning portal via a keycode provided by the university they are registered to.
With the app, students can study in the comfort of their homes, check their results online and also teachers can check attendance reports. That makes work, easy for everyone.
For its huge impact, Funda has been recognized by several international bodies, including the United Nations Development Programme and the World Economic Forum. It has also received accolades as the “Best Tech Innovation and Education” award at the U.N.’s World Youth Summit in 2012 and Mazar’s “Best Sustainable Business Model” prize.
But that’s not to say that the world changer has any plans of resting on his oars. His eyes are set on the big boom.” Our major goal is to be a major education technology provider in Africa,” he says. “So we’re just trying to strategically position ourselves, so when Africa is ready we would also be ready.”
Currently, the company’s main focus is creating sustainable growth before proceeding to roll out the platform across the continent.
“The future of the continent lies in how educated people are, All the major problems can be solved with education — education is the key to the future.”
Yes! Education is the key with which the future of the continent can be unlocked. Keep the light shining Olajide,
