“You must crawl before you walk, and then you start running” – Estonian education innovation takes its first steps in Kenya

The goal was ambitious yet clear: to make IT education more widely accessible and to share Estonia’s well-known experience with independent and project-based learning, where learners develop through experimentation and learning from one another. 

However, what works in Estonia may not work the same way elsewhere. According to Lauri Haav, CEO of //kood, Kenya has very good connections with Estonia, but the local context differs significantly from what Estonians are used to. 

“Kenya is politically and culturally closer to Estonia than some other African countries, and there is an enormous amount of potential here – a market of 56 million people, a very young population, a developing economy and technology sector. But, running //kood in Estonia and in Kenya are two very different things,” Haav explained. 

According to the CEO, the average learner in Estonia is 29 years old, while in Kenya it is 19. Computer literacy and access to computers also differ, and security measures - such as setting up and packing down equipment - require a different approach. 

Still, this is all part of a natural process to learn from, and through it, the Estonian education system also benefits. 

“Getting any pilot project off the ground is always difficult at first - you must learn and adapt, figure out what works and what doesn’t. We came here with a small pilot so as not to launch something big right away. You must crawl before you walk, and then you start running. The more learners we have and the more schools we work with, the faster our offering develops. With every new cohort and group, we learn what needs improvement. Estonian students and schools benefit from this greatly,” said Haav. 

130 applicants, 13 future developers 

Local interest in kood/Nairobi was high. A total of 130 applications were submitted, 55 learners were invited to the admissions test Selection Sprint, and 33 successfully completed the program. The top 13 completed all tasks and exams with excellent results and were given the opportunity to begin their main studies on 13 September - together with learners in Estonia. 

Today, these 13 kood/Nairobi learners work virtually alongside Estonian students, using the same learning platform and solving the same tasks. They give each other feedback, discuss solutions, and celebrate progress - proving that a global learning community can function completely without borders. 

One kood/Nairobi student said: “It’s amazing how distance disappears when you study together. Even across continents, we build solutions - and friendships - side by side. Working with Estonian learners has shown that teamwork doesn’t depend on location but on shared goals, curiosity, and the desire to grow together. Learning together with Estonian students has helped me understand that learning is truly universal - different cultures, but the same passion for creativity and problem-solving.” 

Selection Sprint in Kenya. Photo: //kood.

“With this project, we are contributing to the development of Kenyan IT expertise with the aim of aligning it with the rapidly changing requirements of the labor market. By helping to grow a competitive ICT workforce and sector more broadly, we are creating opportunities for Kenyans to start their own businesses locally or work remotely for European employers, including Estonia,” explained Katrin Winter, ESTDEV’s Regional Director for Africa. 

//kood is a modern top-tier international programming school designed for adults of all ages seeking opportunities for learning, self-development, upskilling, or career change. 

Established in 2021 in Jõhvi, a small town in Eastern Estonia, the learning model is based on practical self- and group learning and lasts 12–15 months. The program includes both front- and back-end software development, problem-solving, and teamwork. In the final phase, learners can specialize in areas such as cybersecurity, mobile applications, data analysis, or artificial intelligence. 

To date, //kood has accepted seven cohorts in Estonia with a total of 1,200 learners, more than 350 of whom, 4 cohorts, have completed the program. Nearly two-thirds of graduates work in the technology sector. Over 30 nationalities are represented among learners, the average age is 29, and 21% of students are women. 

In 2025, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications recognized //kood as one of Estonia’s best promoters of entrepreneurship.