Site Description
TakenoLAB is a cornerstone of digital innovation within the Dzaleka Refugee Camp. Founded as a refugee-led non-profit, it provides 100% free technical and entrepreneurship training to both refugees and members of the surrounding Malawian host community.
The lab functions as both a school and a community hub, where students from diverse backgrounds learn to build software, explore artificial intelligence, and develop businesses that create sustainable livelihoods outside of reliance on aid.
Statement of Significance
The founding of TakenoLAB is a powerful testament to refugee resilience. In its early days, the school operated with virtually no hardware, famously using printed images of keyboards to help students practice muscle memory for typing. Today, it stands as a global example of how localized, community-led tech education can transform lives in humanitarian settings.
The organisation’s Vision 2030 is ambitious: to train 10,000 tech professionals and create 5,000 jobs by 2030, eventually expanding its model to other refugee camps worldwide.
History & Background
- 2015: Founded by Remy Gakwaya, a Burundian refugee who dedicated over two decades to the Dzaleka community before his resettlement in 2022.
- Resourcefulness: Started using basic materials and printed keyboard layouts due to the severe lack of computers.
- Current Leadership: Directed locally by Deborah Ntakirutimana, with remote strategic supervision from Gakwaya.
- Global Partnerships: Has successfully collaborated with Microsoft, UNHCR, and the Wilson Center to improve camp-wide internet connectivity and digital access.
Core Programs
- Software Development: Comprehensive courses in Java, Python, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, and C#.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Specialized initiatives designed to equip youth with future-ready engineering skills.
- Entrepreneurship & Business: Training on business management and sustainable livelihood creation.
- Digital Literacy: Basic computer skills for primary and secondary students.
Condition & Preservation
TakenoLAB is an active and growing facility. It continues to seek partnerships and resources to maintain its high-speed connectivity and hardware labs, ensuring that the next generation of Dzaleka innovators has the tools they need to compete in the global digital economy.