Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian youth are gaining hands-on experience in coding, robotics and digital design through Airtel Fursa Lab, with participants describing the initiative as a rare opportunity to learn and experiment without fear of failure.
Eighteen-year-old Kelvin Mussa Kieta from Sinza said the lab offered him a chance to continue his passion for technology after his secondary school computer club shut down.
“Here, when something does not work, you do not panic. You try again until you get it right,” he said, gesturing towards a robotic arm he was programming.
Recent university graduate Neema Minja said the programme offered clarity and exposure rather than guaranteed employment.
“I did not leave with a job, but I left understanding how technology spaces work and where women are underrepresented,” she said, referring to the lab’s Future Women mentorship initiative, which pairs young women with female professionals.
In Msasani, entrepreneur Elizabeth Mbugi has benefited from the broader Airtel Fursa programme, receiving equipment worth Sh10 million, including a refrigerator and juicer for her fruit and juice business.
“Before, everything was rushed. Now I can plan ahead and serve more customers,” she said.
The lab, run in partnership with the Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi), offers training in coding languages such as Python and Java, robotics platforms including Arduino and Lego Mindstorms, as well as web development, graphic and 3D design, and digital marketing. It targets primary and secondary pupils, university students, recent graduates and out-of-school youth.
Airtel officials say the initiative addresses the persistent gap between the skills young people acquire and the practical knowledge demanded by employers in Tanzania’s digital economy.
DTBi adds that combining industry expertise with institutional support allows the lab to provide a safe environment for experimentation and learning, nurturing skills that can be applied in the workforce or entrepreneurial ventures.
While expansion beyond Dar es Salaam faces logistical and infrastructure challenges, stakeholders say programmes like Fursa Lab are crucial for equipping the next generation with the tools needed to participate in the country’s growing technology sector.