The BeginIT project
is an initiative targeted at
identifying and providing future career guidance for capable children from
orphanages, boarding schools, and rural schools in new technologies.
Thirty-three students drawn from three schools owned by
not-for-profit organisations were groomed on different technologies, including
Embedded Systems (Physical Computing with Arduino kit).
At the end of the session,
students presented projects to demonstrate their ability to identify
solutions related to transportation in their environment.
Director of Transport Operations, Lagos Ministry of
Transportation, Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, who represented the Lagos State
Commissioner for Transportation, hailed inDrive for the initiative, which he
said, would go a long way to bring about innovations needed to transform not
only the transportation sector but other sectors in the state.
“Whatever you learn, make sure you take it seriously because
the more you understand, the better for us. It is good to seize this
opportunity as children 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. 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 children young in 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,” she said.
She stated that the training would further help to deepen
knowledge around transportation and automobiles by helping to groom a new
generation of engineers, designers and creatives.
Programme Associate, STEMCafe, Daye Omona, stated that the
organisation was partnering with inDrive on the initiative to impact children by implementing a STEM-based
programme focused on the future of transportation.
According to him, the
training would afford them the
opportunity to learn concepts such as design thinking, conceptualisation and
working with microcontrollers and sensors necessary to create, for example, a
driverless car or blue tooth control boat.
Not-for-profit institutions that participated in the session
included Amazing Grace, Precious Jasper Foundation and Mayzer Memorial
Foundation.