TechSparque Foundation FAQ
TechSparque Foundation is a non-profit initiative founded by Grace Kihumba, a Technical Program Manager at Google. It aims to bridge the gap in high school education, particularly in computer studies, by equipping students in Kenya with basic coding skills and exposure to technology-related careers.
The foundation was started to address the lack of coding and relevant technical skills in Kenya's high school curriculum, particularly in rural areas. The goal is to prepare students for college and industry by teaching them coding skills such as mobile application development, website building, and user experience design, among other topics.
TechSparque Foundation partners with eight schools across five counties in Kenya: Machakos, Nyandarua, Taita Taveta, Nairobi, and Kitale. We also partner with Kenya Connect, where we train students in software programming during school holidays and teachers during the school term. In addition, we train teachers from partner schools across the country, extending our reach to 64 schools through our teacher training program.
Rural schools often lack access to facilities, exposure, and opportunities that urban schools have. By focusing on these schools, TechSparque ensures that students in underserved areas are empowered with technical skills and knowledge.
Since launching in June 2024, TechSparque has trained 664 students in software programming, mentored over 3,460 students, and trained 161 teachers representing 64 schools across Kenya. Our four core courses cover Python, Web Development, Kotlin, and Coding with AI. We have hosted career talks and workshops with professionals from Safaricom, Microsoft, Google, and other companies — often conducting hands-on coding sessions despite limited resources like shared computers.
The primary challenges include lack of sufficient facilities, such as computers, and multiple students sharing a single computer during sessions. Limited resources to expand the program to more counties and schools are also significant hurdles.
TechSparque continues to expand to more schools and counties across Kenya, deepen our teacher training programs, and scale our curriculum. Our long-term vision is to bring practical software development education to underserved communities across Africa.
There are several ways to support TechSparque Foundation and help us bring tech education to more students across Kenya:
- Donate — Your financial contribution helps us provide training, resources, and equipment to underserved schools.
- Volunteer — Share your tech expertise by mentoring students or helping run workshops and career talks.
- Partner — Organizations can collaborate with us to expand our reach and impact.
You can get involved by mentoring students, volunteering at training sessions and workshops, donating resources, or connecting us with schools and communities that would benefit from our programs. Reach out via our Contact page or WhatsApp at +254759291348 to learn more.