Our Students

Summayah, from Surulere Lagos, Nigeria dreams of becoming a lawyer but found her passion in software development inspired by her tech-savvy friends. Despite limited resources, she built a website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, marking a significant achievement in her journey. Currently enrolled in the Women Techsters Fellowship, Sumayah is motivated by her vision of using digital skills to provide community solutions as a renowned web3 developer.

Juliana, a graduate of Lagos State University, aspires to be a world-class product manager. With a background in human kinetics, she developed a strong interest in digital marketing and finds product management aligns with her skills in understanding customer needs. After receiving a laptop, Juliana plans to revive abandoned projects and continue her learning journey at Tech4Dev.
 

Hassan faced financial challenges that delayed his secondary education. Despite these struggles, he managed to complete his schooling with good grades. A supportive principal offered him a teaching role, which helped him gain confidence and improve his communication skills. Eventually, he joined Nairobits and started to learn coding & design. He dreams of becoming a software developer and starting his own tech company to employ and uplift youth from underprivileged communities. Laptop will help him meet deadlines, utilize his skills effectively, and stay updated with market trends, ultimately allowing him to help his family and society.

Success dreams of becoming a chemical engineer, focusing on using software in industry. A friend introduced her to web development, and she started learning with an old laptop that soon broke. She received help from relatives to get a used laptop, which allowed her to explore technologies like Docker and Kubernetes. With her new laptop, Success plans to improve her software development skills, believing this will help her create solutions that make factory operations easier. Living in a country rich in natural resources but facing economic issues, she wants to use her education to help build industries and improve living conditions for her community. 

Cathy lives with her single mom and four siblings in one of the worst slums in Uganda. She prefers spending her free time alone, doing research, and working on projects like logo design and sketching, which are her favorites. Cathy aspires to become a graphics designer and aims to start her own design company. With access to a computer and internet, Cathy will have more time for research, helping her achieve her goals and improve her skills. Previously, waiting in lines to use a computer hindered her ability to complete assignments, but now she is excited about the opportunity to extend her knowledge and pursue her dreams.

Bashir from Uganda dreams of becoming a recognized and respected software engineer. He graduated from the Elevate program in 2022, where he learned coding and website development. During his time at Elevate, he worked on a project called "Pistis," a platform to facilitate blood donations, which won a top prize and fueled his passion for making a positive impact. After graduation, he had to travel long distances to use the computers at Elevate in Lungujja, which was both expensive and time-consuming. Access to a computer significantly enhanced his ability to pursue his goals and continue his journey in software engineering.

Joan Nabaweesi is turning hardship into purpose, with a camera in hand and the internet by her side. After joining the Era92 Elevate program, she studied film and now earns by creating music videos and ads. With a laptop from GiveInternet.org, she is building Ghetto Stories, a YouTube channel sharing voices from Uganda’s slums. Her journey is just beginning.

Kayanja Enock is a graphics designer from Uganda developing skills in motion graphics. He creates flyers and posters using his laptop, steadily building his career and creativity. Despite earning a modest income, Kayanja is motivated by his vision to become a leading visual artist. Access to technology has helped him improve and pursue his goal.

Kuna Maki is a Special Needs Education Community Mobilizer working to uplift his community. He studies online toward a degree in community health and uses his laptop to learn, attend conferences, and connect globally. Despite challenges, he leads local initiatives and inspires others to pursue their dreams.

Divin is an aspiring technology professional from Kigali, Rwanda, with a keen interest in data. During high school, he challenged himself to build software for his school, succeeding through teamwork despite having limited resources at the time. He believes that consistency is the key to mastering new skills. With his new laptop and internet access, Divin can now complete his daily tasks, access online studies, and build the professional expertise needed for a career in the tech sector.

Ahmed is an aspiring Robotics Engineer and Electrical Engineering student from Sudan. Despite the war disrupting communication, he successfully led his team to win the Judges' Award at the FIRST Global Challenge. He returned as a mentor in 2024, helping the Sudanese team climb into the global top 70. His goal is to build a strong future for STEM education in his country. With his new laptop, Ahmed can continue mentoring students and bridging the gap between local talent and international standards.

Ramon had to drop out of college in Venezuela to escape the crisis, starting over in Colombia where he worked as a janitor and street vendor to survive. Despite facing xenophobia and rejection, he never lost his passion for systems engineering. He is now part of the MIT Emerging Talent program. With his new laptop, Ramon can finally finish his studies and return to creating software, turning his resilience into a professional career.

Patrick grew up in a small village called Mapeera, where his family struggled to support his education. For a while, he stayed home with no clear path forward—until he joined the Era92 Elevate program and discovered his passion for graphic design. Though he had the skills and determination, not owning a computer had held him back from taking on jobs and growing professionally. Now, with a laptop in hand, he finally has the key to turning his talent into a sustainable career.

Mithchel is a civil engineer from Haiti who is now pivoting his career toward Data Science and Cybersecurity. After fleeing civil unrest to seek refuge in Portland, USA he was accepted into the prestigious MIT Emerging Talent program. While he balances small jobs to support his family back home, he remains focused on his education. With his new laptop, Mithchel can complete his coursework and secure a future in the tech industry.

Nilofar dreams of becoming a cardiac surgeon. She had successfully completed three years of medical school in Afghanistan before the Taliban takeover forced her to stop attending university. Refusing to give up on her education, she applied and was accepted into the MIT Emerging Talent Program. She also has skills in web development and graphic design. With her new laptop, Nilofar can now pursue her online studies and find remote work to support her goals.

Noha aspires to be a university professor and is deeply passionate about Artificial Intelligence. She was a top student in Sudan with a perfect academic record, but the war forced her to flee to Egypt and then UAE just as she graduated. Although she lost her home and her belongings, she refused to give up on her future. With her new laptop, Noha can research new technologies and rebuild the academic career she worked so hard for.

Marika, 16, from Georgia, decided to become a gynecologist after her town had no local specialist and women were left waiting for care. She now studies for medical university exams, using the internet for lectures, research, and test prep. Her laptop also lets her write and stay connected to her dreams.

"Having access to the Internet means the world to me. A computer is a gateway to the global community. It allows me to connect with like-minded individuals, join coding communities, and collaborate on projects with developers from around the world. It also serves as a means of staying connected with loved ones."

Reena, from Kanpur, India, faced struggles getting an education due to family financial constraints. With determination, she completed her ITI diploma. Then, she discovered NavGurukul, where she learned software programming. Now, she is the person upon which her family relies. With the laptop from giveinternet.org, Reena continues her studies and work.

Rupali is currently attending English sessions at our partner organization, NavGurukul, which delivers affordable tech education to underprivileged girls in India. Interested in management, Rupali aspires to become CEO of Navgurukul and support women in education. She values time and sees the computer's importance in learning and achieving her goals.

"The laptop will help me study important topics, create projects, attend trainings, and take online tests," says Lisa. She enjoys mathematics, biology, and Georgian at school because she likes numbers, the structure of living beings, and native literature. Reading books in her free time is her favorite activity, as it broadens her horizons and improves her vocabulary.

Achol, coming from Torit, South Sudan now living in Kakuma Refugee Camp, uses her laptop to enhance her app portfolio and explore online job opportunities. She faced resistance from her family, who deemed computers as tools for men. Despite the challenges, she persevered, overcoming objections to pursue her passion. 

Brian, aspiring senior front-end developer, grew up in a family of seven. He found his coding passion at Learning Lions. His first independent project in the mobile LEAP program sparked his interest. Now with a laptop, Brian's focus is on continuous coding, mastering web development skills through online courses, tutorials, and exercises.

Abraham is interested in exploring new programming languages, generative AI and data science. One project he is proud of from his studies is a web application developed by him that streamlined a local business's online ordering process. I aim to continue growing my freelance business and take on challenging projects.