//kood brought Estonian education innovation to Kenya

In the summer of 2025, Estonian education innovation reached Kenya when the NGO Tuleviku Tehnoloogiaharidus launched the first kood/Nairobi programme in cooperation with ESTDEV.

The goal was ambitious yet clear: to make IT education more accessible and share Estonia’s well-known experience in self-directed, project-based learning – where students learn by experimenting and from one another.

//kood’s model is built on a simple yet bold belief: anyone can become a developer. There are no traditional teachers or lectures – just teamwork, persistence and curiosity.

130 applicants, 13 future developers

The three-week Selection Sprint took place at Greatwell Training College in Nairobi. Local project manager helped find the education partner, organise logistics and secure computers so that participants could focus fully on learning. From Estonia, kood/Jõhvi graduate and now Technical Coordinator Annika Tamm joined for two weeks to mentor and encourage the learners.

Interest was high – 130 applications were received, 55 participants joined the Sprint, and 33 completed it successfully. The 13 top performers passed all assignments and exams with excellent results and were invited to start the main programme on 13th of September – together with Estonian learners.

Learning across borders

Today, these 13 kood/Nairobi students study virtually alongside Estonian learners, using the same learning platform and solving the same tasks. They give each other feedback, discuss solutions, and celebrate progress together – proving that a truly global learning community can thrive without borders.

One participant shared: “It’s amazing how distance disappears when you’re learning together. Even from across continents, we’re building solutions — and friendships — side by side. Working with Estonian learners shows that teamwork doesn’t depend on location — just shared goals, curiosity and the drive to grow together. Collaborating with Estonian learners has shown me that learning is truly universal — different cultures, same passion for creating and problem-solving.”

Inspiring encounters

Guest speakers left a lasting impression on the learners. Rose from Bolt shared her journey into the IT world, inspiring especially young women who had never imagined themselves in tech. Engineers from M-Pesa offered a glimpse behind the scenes of large-scale product development.

“Rose’s talk lit a real fire in me! She encouraged us to keep going despite our fears – her words gave me the courage to pursue my dreams,” recalled one participant.

The next step is to support the 13 students who joined the main programme by providing as many growth opportunities as possible. Together with Kenyan companies and international partners, workshops, internships, and opportunities to join global events – such as Latitude59 Kenya – are being planned.

If you’d like to support the next generation of African software developers, get in touch at nairobi@kood.tech.

//kood was founded in Jõhvi, Estonia in 2021, with the aim of making technology education accessible to everyone. Now, students can study in Jõhvi, Võru and Paide. Its 12–15 month curriculum is based on self-directed and peer-to-peer learning, covering full-stack software development, teamwork and problem solving. Students can later specialise in fields such as cybersecurity, data analysis, mobile applications, and AI.

So far, //kood has welcomed more than 1,200 students in Estonia with over 350 graduates – nearly two-thirds of whom are now working in the technology sector. Students represent over 30 different nationalities and 21% are women. You can find the //kood peer-to-peer learning method and curriculum also in Finland, Ukraine and Kenya.

In 2025, the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications recognised //kood as one of the best entrepreneurship promoters in the country.

The accessibility of IT education is supported by Skaala, Swedbank, Wise, Kaamos, LHV, SEB, Barrus, SA Võrumaa Arenduskeskus, SA Järvamaa, ESTDEV and others.