Computer Science Academy Africa
ABOUT US
CSA Africa was born out of a strong desire to give back, to inspire and to empower.
Our Vision:
To see a continent where every young African has the opportunity and capability to harness the power of computing.
Our Mission:
To empower young Africans with transformative computing skills, providing them with the knowledge, resources, and mentorship needed to thrive in the information age.
Our Story
CSA Africa was founded in 2018 by Dr. Sofiat Olaosebikan, a passionate academic from the University of Glasgow with a mission to bridge the gap in computing education for young Africans. Dr. Sofiat's journey began in Nigeria, where she faced challenges accessing computing education but was transformed by a scholarship opportunity to study abroad. Determined to give back, she embarked on a path to empower young Africans with computing skills, fuelled by her own experiences and the desire to make a meaningful impact.
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Armed with a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Dr. Sofiat navigated her academic journey with no-one to guide her about her potential and career prospects in computing until she discovered her passion during a Python programming course at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Ghana.
Since its inception, CSA Africa has facilitated four Python programming workshops in collaboration with African universities, impacting over 500 young Africans across Nigeria, Rwanda, and online platforms. Through these initiatives, participants have transitioned into successful careers in data science, software engineering, research, and teaching. The organisation's efforts have garnered significant media attention in the UK, with coverage from reputable outlets like the BBC, Metro, Evening Times, the National, the Herald, and the Scotsman.
Under the leadership of skilled programmers, CSA Africa continues to empower young Africans in STEM fields, equipping them with Python programming skills and the confidence to pursue rewarding careers. Through a commitment to bridging the opportunity gap, CSA Africa remains dedicated to shaping the future of computing education in Africa and beyond.
Our Impact:
Since CSA Africa was founded in 2018, over 500 Africans from Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Swaziland, South Africa, and Uganda have benefited from our training.
Our past beneficiaries have developed greater programming skills and increased self-confidence.
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Many have gone on to broaden their Python skills via online learning platforms, learn other programming languages, apply for internships, and use programming in their research.
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Some of our beneficiaries are now working in leading companies in Africa and abroad, including as a data scientist in Lithuania, software developer in Nigeria, full stack developer in California and software engineer in the UK.
Testimonials:
“Before the program, I had little knowledge of programming and with a great desire to know more. Today, I am proficient in Python, Kotlin, and C++ programming languages. I am an Android developer and Embedded system design engineer. I am currently learning Artificial Intelligence and Chatbot development. The CSA Africa initiative gave me the solid foundation in which I have built all my technical skills on.”
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Deborah Joseph (Mobile Engineer), Nigeria, participated in the CSA Africa 2018 workshop.
“The CSA Africa workshop ignited my passion for programming. I am currently working as a Software Engineer and my job mainly involves web development and data analysis. My participation at the workshop gave me a lot of valuable programming skills that I employ on a day-to-day basis in my role. The initiative is truly a blessing to the African continent, and I am glad I was able to experience it!”
Ade-Onojobi ‘Dewalade (Software Engineer), Nigeria, participated in the CSA Africa 2018 workshop.
“It is so interesting to know that I now have an interesting career path all because I attended a CSA Africa workshop.
With the knowledge I gained from the CSA workshop, I was able to pass my data science entrance exam offered by WorldQuant university and I also received a datacamp scholarship towards obtaining a professional data scientist certificate.
CSA Africa also inspired me with the spirit of giving back. I have offered advice to my peers which has enabled them to obtain tech-related scholarships to kickstart their tech journey. I also run small tutoring classes with my friends where we teach people introductory Python programming for free.
Romoke Lasisi (Maths Student), Nigeria, participated in the CSA Africa 2022 workshop.
"CSA Africa 2018 was a life changing experience for me. In 2019, I was fortunate to be selected as a tutor at the workshop, which took place at the University of Rwanda. As a consequence of my participation as a tutor, I developed the confidence to teach Python programming to undergraduate students at the Department of Mathematics in my institution.
The CSA Africa initiative is exceptional because it does not just host a workshop and forget its participants, but the team makes effort to make sure that learning continues in the host institution."
Ifeoma Okoh (Data Scientist), Nigeria, participated in the CSA Africa 2018 workshop.
"With all the knowledge I acquired from the workshop as a participant I managed to drive my dreams of starting a coding Bootcamp company named Tech Booster Academy. This company has enabled me train over 100 students on the fundamentals of Python programming."
Cyimana Faisal (Software Developer), Rwanda, participated in the CSA Africa 2019 workshop.