Africans are immensely talented but the educational system is on a huge decline. This challenge spurred Fiyin Odebunmi, a builder in the burgeoning Web3 ecosystem to co-launch (alongside Vandross Idiake) an Edtech project called Helicode, with a mission to give young developers a platform to achieve their on-chain dreams.
Fiyin’s journey into the world of blockchain started in 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown. This was also the time when renowned innovator and billionaire, Elon Musk ‘shilled’ the Dogecoin crypto token.
Commenting on his intention to become a builder, Fiyin Odebunmi said:
“I’ve seen the freedom that exists in the on-chain world. You don’t have to wait for anybody to create a bank account which in this case is a wallet. There is also the coordination system – the permissionless narrative that exists here.”
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He believes that to build an Africa where freedom is a top priority, someone has to take a leap of faith and build on-chain apps that will shape the lives of every African.
He is one of the builders toeing that path.
Fiyin Odebunmi’s mission to build Helicode
Having acknowledged that the educational system in Africa is on a decline despite the available talent, Fiyin says the continent needs more young people to build and launch apps on the blockchain that people can use.
“You only find a few Africans at global hackathons or builder events. This too has to change.” He remarked.
To fix these issues, Fiyin Odebunmi started the journey of building Helicode, to train engineers and designers to become hardcore at what they do, and give young people the opportunity to build their on-chain dreams.
Helicode unique offerings
There are several Blockchain/Web3 educational platforms available. However, Helicode stands out due to some of its features.
An important area is the advanced skills focus and emphasis on practical learning.
“We’ve seen the critical gap in advanced tech education. We aim to place special emphasis on high-level training. Also, our curriculum is deeply rooted in practical, hands-on experience like Live Project Simulations, Internship Programs, Hackathons and Coding Challenges, Open Source Contributions, and Mentorship from Industry Experts.” Fiyin Odebunmi stated.
Also, Helicode aims to bridge the gap between the growing demand for Web3 talent and the untapped potential in Africa.
Some of the specific advanced blockchain skills that Helicode offers include, Smart Contract, Cybersecurity, Design Engineering, Data Analysis, Product Marketing, Technical Writing, Product Designing, and Frontend & Full Stack Engineering.
“The world is changing and advancing. There will be a high unemployment rate and only those who can solve advanced problems will be able to tap into next-gen opportunities.” – Fiyin Odebunmi.
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In a bid to tailor the curriculum to fit the unique socio-economic and technological needs of African learners, Helicode focuses on these areas:
- Access to technology
- Affordability and Accessibility
- Practical Approach
- Focus on real-world use cases
Fiyin confirms that Helicode is working with some companies to make sure students have access to opportunities after completing their courses. Also, in a bid to integrate hands-on, real-world experience for students learning Web3 technologies, Helicode offers practical projects, hackathons and real-world case studies.
“Students can build decentralised applications (dApps), interact with smart contracts and work on blockchain-based projects from day one. We intend to partner with industry leaders to provide mentorship and internship opportunities, allowing students to work on live projects and gain practical experience.”
Helicode’s long-term goals
According to Fiyin Odebunmi, Helicode plans to build Tech Hubs across different African regions to foster creativity and innovation in the future.
Also, the project wants to train the next 1 million Africans in advanced blockchain skills, connect 200,000 Africans to global tech companies, and partner with several Universities/Institutions.
When quizzed about what success would mean to him on Helicode, Fiyin said:
“When the students are well-trained and get jobs at top Web3 firms. When they can build and launch their products. That’s success to me.”
“EdTech industry is said to be difficult but I believe one of the best ways to give to mother Africa is by training the next generation to become excellent at what they do. And this gets us closer to the Africa where everyone has access to true freedom.” Fiyin Odebunmi concluded.
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