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From a computer at 18 to building AI<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Herman’s journey into artificial intelligence began without a background in computer science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Growing up in a low-income household in Rwanda, he did not have access to a computer until he was 18, when his uncle gave him one during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI didn\u2019t have access to a computer until I was 18,\u201d he recalled during an exclusive video interview with IGIHE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He began teaching himself basic programming languages, including Python, HTML and CSS. Despite his growing interest in technology, he chose to study economics and finance at university rather than computer science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The idea for Bakame took shape when he started exploring how to make AI accessible to people who could not afford the devices and internet connections required by many existing platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When he approached a consulting firm to develop the product, he was quoted $100,000 (about 150 million Rwandan francs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI didn\u2019t have that money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, he paid for a one-hour consultation to establish whether the idea was technically possible. He was advised to learn more about telephone infrastructure, a process that took him about a year before he began building the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat’s how an economics and finance student found himself building things that should have been built by computer scientists,\u201d he said, describing his journey into becoming a self-taught AI engineer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turning phone calls into AI access<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Herman says his research pointed to two related challenges: the digital divide and the growing gap in access to artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He became particularly interested in the potential impact on education, where access to AI-powered learning tools could give students in Rwanda, for example, additional support in English and other subjects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rwanda pivoted to English as the main language of instruction in 2008, replacing French. However, the adoption has remained gradual, with many students and teachers still facing challenges in achieving strong English proficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His solution was to build a platform that works through telephone networks rather than relying on internet connectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t really need internet to use Airtel or MTN,\u201d he explained. \u201cWe just need a phone, and we need access to basically their communication systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bakame currently operates offline through voice calls, according to Herman. When a user calls the number assigned to the platform, the call travels through the telecommunications operator’s network before being routed to Bakame’s servers, where the AI system generates a response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This allows users to access the service without using mobile internet data. Herman says calls are currently toll-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An AI tutor that encourages critical thinking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Education is Bakame’s initial focus. A student can select a lesson and engage in a conversation with the AI tutor, which asks questions to encourage learners to explain their reasoning and defend their views rather than simply receive answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Herman describes the approach as Socratic, using questions and dialogue to help students examine ideas and reach their own critical conclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, after reading a passage on resilience or economic development, a learner may be asked whether they agree with the author’s argument and to explain why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The platform supports English, French and Kinyarwanda. Herman says it has been trained using more than 2,000 calls in Kinyarwanda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Rwandan learners, conversations begin in English, but the system can switch to Kinyarwanda when a student struggles with a word or concept before returning to English once the learner understands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat’s something that reflects the human psychology, how we process things, how we learn,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company is exploring a similar model for Senegal, where learners could interact in French, with the system providing support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Early results and expansion plans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bakame has already been tested in an education setting in Rwanda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Herman says the company worked with Isomo Academy during a five-week pilot involving about 81 students. The version used in the pilot was accessed through computers because the students already had the devices, rather than through telephone calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Herman, the pilot recorded an improvement of more than 70% in English proficiency, based on specific acoustic measures and sentiment analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The start-up is working with Isomo Academy and TCU, which has supported its research efforts. Herman said it is also in discussions with the Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR Rwanda) and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, which has expressed its commitment to supporting the initiative in various ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He noted that Rwanda has an ambitious plan to develop 50 AI tools for use across different sectors of the economy by 2029, with education among the priority areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRwanda wants to build 50 AI tools that will be used in the economy. Most of the tools outlined in the policy are intended for education and could help improve learning,\u201d he said, adding that Bakame could be among them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bakame has two engineers in Rwanda and three team members in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company has attracted financial support through university programmes and international recognition. It received seed funding through Texas Christian University’s (TCU) CREATE Accelerator programme and went on to win the Global Best M-Gov Award at the World Governments Summit in Dubai in February 2026. TCU also reports that the venture has secured additional early-stage capital and pre-deployment government grants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The funding has helped Bakame AI access computing resources and continue developing the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond Rwanda, the start-up is exploring deployment in Senegal, with a longer-term ambition to serve markets across the Global South. Herman also sees potential applications in agriculture and healthcare, although these remain areas for future development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He believes Rwanda’s growing focus on artificial intelligence creates opportunities for locally developed solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIntelligence is not intelligence when it’s not accessible,\u201d he said, arguing that AI must reach people who cannot use conventional digital platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For young Rwandans interested in building technology businesses, Herman’s advice is to start with the resources available rather than wait for perfect conditions or substantial funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBuild, pilot and present,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don’t have to wait until you have a million dollars to start something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His ambition is to build a technology that can serve people across the Global South while becoming an innovation exported from Rwanda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Watch the video below to learn more about Bakame AI and the mission driving its founder, Happy Herman Niyorurema.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/11\/IMG_0079-1024x682.jpg\")
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