Kigali · 2025

Ideas with roots.
Impact that grows.

Akili runs in-person AI bootcamps for Rwandan secondary students and out-of-school youth — equipping them to solve real local problems and build small businesses using AI tools.

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Program at a glance
Students
Ages 14–18 (secondary) and 18–30 (youth)
Location
Kigali, Rwanda — expanding across East Africa
Format
In-person bootcamps, project-based curriculum
Outcome
AI skills + founded small businesses
● Applications open
01 — The Program

Practical skills.
Local solutions.
Lasting change.

Akili is not a coding class. It is a structured pathway from curiosity to capability — where students learn to use AI tools to address problems they actually see in their communities and to start businesses that can sustain themselves.

Every skill taught must connect to a real local problem. We center students, not the technology.

Applied learning

No theory for its own sake. Every session ends with something built or tested.

Community first

Cohorts tackle local problems together — food, health, agriculture, trade.

AI tools

Students learn with AI tools built for real use, not academic exercises.

Business building

Graduates leave with a small business plan and the tools to execute it.

02 — How It Works

From first lesson to first business.

Four phases, one continuous journey. Students move from learning to launching with structured support at every step.

01
LEARN

AI fundamentals, prompt craft, and tool fluency — grounded in Rwandan context and real use cases.

02
BUILD

Students identify a community problem and build an AI-assisted prototype or service concept.

03
LAUNCH

Cohort presents to peers, mentors, and community partners. Selected projects receive support.

04
GROW

Graduates access mentorship, networks, and ongoing tools support as they turn ideas into SMEs.

03 — Who It's For
For Students

You have a problem to solve. We have the tools.

Whether you are in secondary school (ages 14–18) or finding your way after (ages 18–30), Akili is for students with real motivation — a community problem to solve or a drive to start something new. No prior AI experience required.

  • No prior tech knowledge required
  • Curriculum built for Rwandan realities
  • Mentorship after graduation
  • Support building your first business
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For NGOs & Funders

Measurable impact, not just education statistics.

We partner with NGOs, international development organizations, and grant-making bodies active in Rwanda — Mastercard Foundation, GIZ, Google.org, USAID, African Development Bank, and others aligned with youth digital education and economic empowerment.

  • Transparent cohort reporting
  • Student business outcomes, tracked
  • Rwanda government alignment (ICT Chamber, RDB)
  • Expanding to all of East Africa
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04 — Why Rwanda

Rwanda is the right place to start. It will not be the last.

Rwanda has one of the most progressive digital economies in Africa — a government that actively supports tech and youth development through Vision 2050, the ICT Chamber, and the Rwanda Development Board.

A strong international NGO presence, high youth density in Kigali, and an ambitious technology narrative make Rwanda the credible proof-of-concept environment before expanding across East Africa.

CountryRwanda
Launch cityKigali
Target cohort size20–40 students
Phase 1 pilots1–3 bootcamps
Next regionEast Africa
05 — Apply
Applications open — Cohort 1 · Kigali · 2025

Your first build will live here.

Apply to join the first Akili cohort in Kigali. Secondary school students and out-of-school youth aged 14–30 are welcome. No technical background required.

APPLY NOW →GET IN TOUCH →