Sikhulile Mhlonipheni Ndawo, the facilitator for Rise Above Youth Organisation (RAYO) helps the learners of Phakathwayo Secondary School with robotics at one of the training programmes offered by the organisation in partnership with Moses Kotane Institute and Mwelase Foundation. Today the Mwelase Foundation will launch FutureCoders Club in KwaMaphumulo in partnership with Microsoft South Africa.
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The Mwelase Foundation has partnered with Microsoft South Africa to launch the FutureCoders Club in KwaMaphumulo, north of KwaZulu-Natal, in an effort to expand access to coding, robotics and digital literacy for rural learners.
The initiative, which is being launched today in KwaMaphumulo, is aimed at equipping young people with critical digital skills while addressing the persistent lack of technology resources in many public schools, particularly in rural communities.
The chief executive of non-profit company, Mwelase Foundation, Khethiwe Nkuna, that has partnered with Microsoft SA in a programme that offers learners hands-on training in coding, robotics and foundational AI as part of efforts to bridge the digital skills gap in underserved communities. The programme will be launched in KwaMaphumulo north of KwaZulu-Natal today.
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The foundation’s chief executive officer, Khethiwe Nkuna, said the collaboration seeks to close a growing digital divide in South Africa’s education system.
“Fewer than 30% of public schools have access to functional computer facilities, with access significantly lower in many rural communities. As a result, structured exposure to coding and robotics remains limited, particularly at primary school level where foundational digital skills are developed,” said Nkuna.
Phakathwayo Secondary School learner, Nonzuzo Gumede, receiving a certificate from Nothando Mazibuko, the co-founder and chief marketing officer at Mwelase Foundation and Sikhulile Mhlonipheni Ndawo, the facilitator of Rise Above Youth Organisation (RAYO).
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Research cited by the foundation indicates that learners introduced to coding before the age of 13 are significantly more likely to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects in high school. At the same time, the World Economic Forum estimates that by 2030 more than half of all jobs will require some level of digital skills.
Nkuna warned that without early exposure to technology, learners in rural areas risk being left behind as the global economy becomes increasingly digital.
The FutureCoders Club aims to tackle this challenge by targeting learners aged between 13 and 17 through a structured after-school programme focused on robotics, coding and emerging technologies.
The programme is being implemented in close collaboration with school principals and teachers to ensure it becomes sustainably integrated into participating schools.
Learners of Phakathwayo Secondary School with their certificates after finishing the training programme offered by Rise Above Youth Organisation (RAYO). Seated is RAYO chief executive Siyakhula Ncume and on the extreme right is Zama Dlamini the manager of information and communication technology at Moses Kotane Institute
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On the ground, delivery of the programme is supported by Rise Above Youth Organisation (RAYO), a community-based partner whose local presence is expected to help strengthen learner participation and long-term sustainability.
The programme offers practical, hands-on learning experiences, including robotics assembly, block-based programming, structured problem-solving activities, introductory artificial intelligence concepts and team-based technology innovation challenges.
The initiative builds on the foundation’s earlier pilot programme launched on Mandela Day in 2025 in rural KwaZulu-Natal, which reached more than 200 learners and sought to expand access to STEM education in underserved communities.
The first cohort of 200 participants graduated in December during the global “Hour of AI” campaign.
A learner from Phakathwayo Secondary School in Ngwebini, Nquthu, northern KwaZulu-Natal is the study of attention at a robotics training programme facilitated by Rise Above Youth Organisation in partnership with the Mwelase Foundation and Moses Kotane Institute. The training programme is aimed at equipping learners from rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal with various skills from robotics, coding and science, technology, engineering and maths. Today the Mwelase Foundation launches a new programme partnered with Microsoft South Africa in KwaMaphumulo.
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By creating technology-focused learning opportunities, the programme aims to nurture critical digital skills among young people while encouraging greater participation in innovation and technology-driven industries.
The partnership between the Mwelase Foundation and Microsoft South Africa reflects a shared commitment to strengthening South Africa’s future through education, digital inclusion and the development of the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.
Established in April 2025, the Mwelase Foundation focuses on expanding opportunities for young people in rural communities and underserved townships through programmes in education, digital inclusion, skills development and youth empowerment.