Reading the headlines of a programme aimed to equip 300 000 Emaswati with coding skills, was my highlight of this week.
Being one of the BBC crew (Born Before Computers), it has been a long road from pen in ink to tablets and now cloud computing.
We were born around the time a fountain pen was a prized possession. Electronic writing devices were unheard of.
The brand Parker was what iPhone is today to many. Watching so many technologies come up has been a marvel.
The news that 300 000 will now not only meet me where I am in terms of basic computer skills, but also leapfrog me was quite exciting. So according to the news, the Minister for Information, Communication and Technology, Savannah Maziya, this week unveiled a new digital skills training programme that will benefit 300 000 emaSwati.
The initiative, is made possible through a partnership between the Government of Eswatini and the United Arab Emirates.
The project, known as the Udacity Coding Programme, aims to give emaSwati access to free training in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) Fundamentals, Data Science, Programming and Android Development. I hope it does not have an age limit for applications because I need all this. So according to the reports, certificates of completion will be awarded to participants, creating opportunities for further learning and employment. The difference between jobseekers and the one who gets the job and the one who does not is what value they have for the employer. What value exchange can be done for the thing they have in their hand in exchange for the wage? If one has AI in this day and age, you have an edge.
Minister Maziya described the programme as a gateway to global opportunities, saying it would empower emaSwati to take part in the fast-growing digital economy. She noted that the training is also intended to nurture creativity, problem-solving and resilience, which are key drivers of innovation.
I read that the ministry has called on stakeholders to play a role in ensuring the success of the programme across the country. Internet service providers have been urged to zero-rate or subsidise data costs so that learners in rural areas can take part. Speaking of that, kudos to Eswatini Mobile for the package they announced for tertiary students this week. This showed being in line with the needs of the people. Data is no longer a want but a need. Ten minutes without data feels like 10 years.
The private sector, donors and community leaders are being encouraged to provide devices, digital labs and mentorship opportunities, while the Ministry of Education and Training is expected to assist in converting schools and community halls into centres for digital learning.
Interestingly, the church I attended earlier in the year opened its doors for youth to learn digital skills online. It provided the church premises and internet to capacitate its congregants.
I will not mention the name of the church lest it seem like I am canvassing for its new members. The point is that it heeded the call to provide the platform.
For Eswatini’s tech-curious youth, programmes in partnership with global platforms like Udacity offer a vital bridge between aspiration and opportunity. We all know how the young ones even from two years operate our phones and see the gaming apps in a second.
Such programmes allow young people, even those without tertiary qualifications, to gain credentials in mobile development, web technologies and data science, skills highly prized both locally and abroad.
One of the most persistent barriers to youth employment in Eswatini is the mismatch between what graduates know and what employers need.
While many young people leave school or tertiary institutions, they often lack the technical and digital skills essential for the modern workplace.
This mismatch contributes to a cycle of disenchantment. Without hope for meaningful work, idle youth in many communities face mental health challenges and some resort to substance abuse or other harmful behaviours.
Empowering them with real, applicable digital skills through structured programmes can begin to break that damaging cycle.
This week I had a conversation with an actor and producer and he was in tears that he produced over 300 drama episodes and they were aired for free and never made him a fortune. I asked him if he knew of online platforms that pay for such work and he said he was unaware.
He sounded excited that he had an option to make money online. With the Eswatini Google deal announced earlier as well we will, see talents being able to monetise online. It is a time to be alive and the latest announcement is even bigger news.
What’s clear is that Eswatini’s activation of this coding programme represents more than an educational offering, it’s a strategic investment in the nation’s future.
It gives youth a tangible path out of unemployment, ensures their talents don’t vanish into obscurity and plants the seeds for a digitally energised, inclusive economy.
As the kingdom looks to harness its youthful potential, coding programmes, especially those tied to broader empowerment frameworks, will be essential catalysts for transformation.
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