Technology donation empowers Soweto Grade 10 learners with digital study tools

iOCO Technology Group partnered with Oden.Africa to donate 92 AI-powered ‘Omang’ e-learning tablets to Grade 10 learners involved in the Kliptown Youth Program (KYP) in Soweto on February 20.

The beneficiaries attend different schools across Pimville, Kliptown and Eldorado Park, including Missourilaan Secondary School, Silver Oaks Secondary School, Eldomaine Secondary School, Lancea Vale Secondary School, Kliptown High School and Emshukantambo Secondary School, among many others.

The learners will be able to take the tablet devices home. The devices are personalised according to each learner’s subjects and are pre-installed with curriculum-aligned programmes.

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These include textbooks, previous exam papers and tests to help learners assess their knowledge. A feature that particularly impressed learners is the incentive system, which rewards them with shopping vouchers for spending more time studying and completing tests using the device.

Stephanie Nathen, transformation manager at iOCO Group, said beyond improving academic results, the initiative is designed to change how learners engage with learning itself.

She said the company views the rollout as a measurable intervention, with progress and performance data forming part of a longer-term impact assessment.

“We are not just donating devices and walking away. We will be monitoring academic progress and looking at how this intervention shifts confidence levels, subject retention and long-term career aspirations,” she said.

Nathen added that exposing Grade 10 learners to AI-integrated learning tools at an early stage is intentional, as subject choices made at this level often determine tertiary pathways.

She said building digital fluency now strengthens learners’ competitiveness in an increasingly technology-driven economy.

“Our broader objective is to build a sustainable talent pipeline. If we can influence performance at Grade 10 level, we can meaningfully impact matric outcomes and ultimately increase access to high-demand career fields,” she said.

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Co-founder and executive director of KYP Centre, Thulani Madondo, said long-term partnerships are helping strengthen youth development and education support in communities such as Eldorado Park and surrounding areas.

Madondo said the three-year partnership with Ayoko Technology Group began when the company participated in a Mandela Day community project in 2023 and later invested in skills development by training young people as early childhood practitioners.

He said the donation of Omang digital learning devices will help learners improve academic performance by giving them access to curriculum-aligned content across multiple subjects.

Madondo said learners will be able to take the devices home for the full academic year, allowing them to continue learning without interruption.

“These devices remove learning barriers and help learners do their homework and improve performance in difficult subjects like mathematics,” he said.

He said the programme has already shown positive results, with learners from participating schools achieving strong academic performance, including a top matric achiever from Missourilaan in 2025.

Madondo said the organisation hopes to expand the programme to support more learners in the FET phase over the next few years.

He thanked sponsors, schools and communities for supporting youth development initiatives, saying such partnerships help create sustainable educational opportunities for future generations.

Makhosazana Ramashamba (14), a Grade 10 learner from Emshukantambo Secondary School, said the Omang tablet will help her improve her mathematics results and better understand her schoolwork.

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She said having access to the device will make studying easier, especially when completing homework and preparing for tests. Makhosazana added that the built-in incentives motivate her to spend more time learning and practising her subjects.

KYP is an after-school development initiative established in 2007 in response to the social and educational challenges faced by the Kliptown community.

The programme was created to provide young people with academic support and access to essential social services in an environment where resources are often limited.

The programme focuses on assisting learners with their homework and schoolwork, helping community members access basic administrative services such as applying for identity documents, and supporting access to social services.

In addition, the programme helps bridge the digital divide by providing internet access and assisting community members with online applications and other digital literacy needs.