![\"SkillSeed](\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/png\/skillseed.png\")
<\/figure>\nThe platform offers gamified challenges, like puzzles and creative tasks, that make learning fun and hands-on. Parents receive detailed progress reports, with stars and badges marking their child\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not as serious as I make it sound; it\u2019s more game-like,\u201d Kelechi adds. \u201cA six-year-old watches cartoons, of course, so we use those kinds of avatars to portray, so it’s fun and colourful.\u201d<\/p>\n
For co-founder and Chief Operations Officer (COO) Agnes Wambui, SkillSeed\u2019s mission, which started in 2023, is deeply personal. Growing up, she excelled at debating on a national level but felt demoralised by a system that valued grades above all else. <\/p>\n
\u201cI felt that I would never amount to anything because I was not really good academically, but I never got much support for these other passions that I had,\u201d Wambui recalls. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe started Wekraft to show parents there are more levels and more measures of intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n SkillSeed complements the traditional education system, recognising what Wambui calls \u201cup to nine types of intelligence.\u201d The platform is aimed at nurturing diverse talents like art or debate, even helping kids build digital portfolios to showcase their work globally. <\/p>\n \u201cYou have a kid who can draw really well. Why don\u2019t you have a portfolio for them that they can showcase to the rest of the world?\u201d Wambui asks, noting opportunities like international exchange programs that such exposure can unlock.<\/p>\n Wekraft\u2019s journey began with in-person workshops, where kids engaged in hands-on activities to spark their curiosity. <\/p>\n \u201cWe started with the in-person program where we were going to schools and having physical activities with the kids,\u201d says Staphord Nkumbuye, Wekraft\u2019s CEO. <\/p>\n The team soon realised the need for a broader reach, leading to the creation of a learning toolkit kids could take home. <\/p>\n \u201cKids wanted to take some of these activities home\u2026 learning continues even after school,\u201d Nkumbuye explains. This toolkit laid the groundwork for SkillSeed\u2019s digital platform, scaling its impact to reach more children with personalised, AI-driven experiences.<\/p>\n The platform\u2019s practical impact resonates with students like Stalon Mbanda, who recently finished high school. Using SkillSeed\u2019s toolkit, he created a vivid illustration of a kidney\u2019s structure. <\/p>\n \u201cIt helped me bring out the vivid description of what I had in my mind,\u201d he says, noting how the toolkit bridged theory and practice in his pursuit to become a doctor.<\/p>\n Commenting on the current platform, he noted, \u201cSuch programs help me to envision how I would be so that more of my knowledge is no longer theoretical but also practical.”<\/p>\n Beyond academics, SkillSeed connects kids with professionals through virtual mentorships and career excursions, exposing them to fields from science to creative arts. <\/p>\n \u201cThe goal is to expose kids to as many careers as possible, including the ones which are not here in Rwanda, because the world is an oyster,\u201d Wambui says. <\/p>\n Recognising the digital divide in developing countries like Rwanda, the platform offers offline content for rural areas through partnerships with schools and community centres.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are using a hybrid approach to help children in rural areas access the platform,\u201d Kelechi explains. <\/p>\n Wekraft also runs a donation program, where a portion of each subscription, starting at 15,000 Rwandan francs per month, subsidises access for those who can\u2019t afford it. <\/p>\n The company is calling on organisations to donate refurbished computers to equip underserved schools.<\/p>\n For Wekraft\u2019s CEO, SkillSeed is about shaping a generation. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to tell parents we are in an era where passion and love for what you do take you further than following someone else\u2019s path,\u201d Nkumbuye says.<\/p>\n The journey to build SkillSeed wasn\u2019t easy. But with support from Jasiri, a program empowering high-impact startups in Rwanda and the region, Wekraft found the wings to lift their idea. <\/p>\n \u201cI never believed someone could help me when I just have an idea. Jasiri provided the best coaches in Africa, office spaces, and funding that made it easier to create something really wonderful,” Nkumbuye remembers those early days.<\/p>\n \u201cEntrepreneurship can be brutal, but I was having fun because I loved it,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n According to Wekraft\u2019s CEO, SkillSeed has enrolled over 600 students and earned crucial backing from Rwanda\u2019s Ministry of Education. <\/p>\n \u201cWe even have the backing from the Rwandan government through the Ministry of Education,\u201d he says, adding that the startup\u2019s journey has been shaped by guidance from experts in early childhood education.<\/p>\n In a recommendation seen by IGIHE, the Ministry of Education states that Wekraft, through the SkillSeed platform, significantly advances inclusive, skills-based education, preparing youth for the future of work.<\/p>\n “Their learner-centred approach equips young people with essential 21st-century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, digital literacy, and problem-solving.<\/p>\n “Their pilot programs have engaged hundreds of learners, demonstrating a commitment to community development through collaboration with schools, educators, and local artisans. The SkillSeed platform also aligns with global frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for quality education and decent work.”<\/p>\n Sarah Mukundwa, an educationist and parent, sees platforms like SkillSeed as a game-changer in shaping the next generation of experts across diverse fields. <\/p>\n \u201cMy son is 10. He likes football so much. He told me, \u2018Mommy, I can be a footballer and a doctor.\u2019 This platform tests his skills, so he can know what he can excel in. It will help kids do what they love, not just what they\u2019re told by their parents,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Wekraft plans to expand the program to the United Arab Emirates and Kenya in the near future as it gains momentum.<\/p>\n For parents and guardians, the platform is accessible at: [https:\/\/parents.wekraft.co\/->https:\/\/parents.wekraft.co\/]<\/p>\n Watch the video to discover more about the platform.<\/p>\n![\"SkillSeed](\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/png\/screenshot_2025-10-22_145951.png\")
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