BeginIT, a social educational project spearheaded by inDrive, has completed a one-day training program for less privileged children in Nigeria with Information Technology (IT) skills.
The BeginIT program is an inDrive initiative aimed at identifying and guiding capable children from orphanages, boarding schools, and rural schools in the field of new technologies.
Thirty-three students from three non-profit schools were trained in a variety of technologies, including Embedded Systems (Physical Computing with Arduino kit).
At the end of the session, the students presented projects to demonstrate their ability to identify solutions relative to transportation in their environment.
In his remarks, Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, Director of Transport Operations at the Lagos Ministry of Transportation, who represented the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, praised inDrive for the initiative, saying it would go a long way toward bringing about the innovations needed to transform not only the transportation sector but other sectors in the state.
“Whatever you learn here today, make sure you take it seriously because the more you understand, the better for us all. So, it is good to seize this opportunity as kids so that Nigeria can match up with technological advancement as it is in many developed societies. For instance, transportation has changed from what we witnessed in the past. Now, we use technology to manage transportation,” he said.
Speaking on the theme, “inDrive: Future of Mobility”, InDrive’s BeginIT Representative & Driver Acquisition specialist, Mrs Onuzulike Clementina, explained that the initiative, which has registered its presence in 15 countries, including Nigeria, is geared towards catching kids young in the field of technology to stimulate their problem-solving skills and prepare them for the future of work.
“We believe strongly in the potential of every child regardless of the circumstance of their birth. We feel they need to get the knowledge in time to ensure that they can compete with their counterparts in the developed world. This is why we have come up with an initiative to enable them to reach their potential”, Clementina said.
She stated that the training would help to deepen understanding of transportation and automobiles by grooming a new generation of engineers, designers, and creatives.
In addition, Daye Omona, Programme Associate at STEMCafe, stated that the organization was collaborating with inDrive on the initiative to educate children by implementing a STEM-based program focused on the future of transportation.
According to Omona, the training session would afford the kids the opportunity to learn concepts such as design thinking, conceptualization, and working with microcontrollers and sensors necessary to create, for example, a driverless car or blue tooth control boat.
The list of not-for-profit institutions that participated in the session includes Amazing Grace, Precious Jasper Foundation and Mayzer Memorial Foundation.
