5 Questions – Nyari Samushonga, CEO of WeThinkCode_
WeThinkCode_ has been described as “a digital and educational revolution that will change the lives of thousands of young South Africans and help build the country’s tech industry.” Its mission is to train Africa’s top tech talent and help drive the digitisation of African business. Since its launch in 2016, over 300 of its graduates are employed within South Africa’s corporate sector.
WeThinkCode_ has long impressed us. A perky, upfront and highly professional learning organisation, it is totally committed to changing the lives of hundreds of talented youngsters by equipping them with valuable digital skills. Its vibrant CEO, Nyari Samushonga (NS), is equally impressive. As we all move towards a post-lockdown environment, Pleiades Media (PM) caught up with her and posed the following questions:
PM: We are six months into COVID-19 and its impact. What lessons can we learn from it – in business, socially and personally?
NS. As a country, the crisis exposed who we really are. The people hit hardest by the lockdown were those who bear the yoke of our inequality and their inherent vulnerability in terms of education, housing and health. It also exposed our interconnectedness. We are, literally, our brother’s keeper. We’re in this together and despite our differences, we’re going to have to pull together at every level to solve our problems as a society.
At WeThinkCode_ this was amply demonstrated. The extended lockdown disrupted the academic calendar and meant we had to extend the final year by 8 weeks. Our most vulnerable students would have been left without a stipend as this was an unplanned expenditure. Many voluntarily forfeited their stipends to assist those whose need was greater enabling us to continue to pay stipends to those in need. They did this without any pressure from us. Their sacrifice and selflessness marked a career highlight for me personally.
PM: On a practical level, how did COVID-19 and the lockdown affect your everyday operations?
NS: Inevitably we had to bring all our learning online. Again, social disparities came to the fore. Some students had a laptop, WiFi and a quiet place to work, while others did not. We are an equal-opportunity learning organisation and we had to make sure every one of our 460 students were given the means to continue their learning online. This meant sourcing the necessary equipment and this is where our partners came magnificently to the fore, generously donating laptops, data and other essential equipment.
For me it also highlighted the importance of community in the learning process. Some of our students struggled with loneliness and depression during their isolation. As faculty, we had to redouble our efforts to make ourselves available and find the fun and humour in our circumstances. Our responses during those times fuelled the debate as to whether remote learning and working is the way of the future. As we stand now, we definitely need to address the question of when we need to be working remotely and when we need to be together.
PM: What were the lessons that you can take forward?
NS: First and foremost, the importance of team-work. I joined WeThinkCode_ as Chief Executive Officer 18 months ago and spent my first months putting a solid management team in place. This paid huge dividends during the time of the lockdown, when so much of the organisation had to not only pivot to meet the regulatory demands of the lockdown, but also to ensure that our students could continue to learn. The quality of our team was really perfected during the COVID-19 storm. I am truly grateful for their support and willingness to pitch in and go the extra mile when things got tough.
A second important learning is that effective leadership is not driven by ego. In many ways over the past few months, I have learned that to be a better leader I need to get out of my team’s way and trust them to execute on their individual mandates and responsibilities.
Finally, I realise that we are way more resilient than we thought we were; that we have bandwidth beyond the stretch. Now that we have set the bar high, we need to make sure we keep it there.
PM: What have you learned as a leader and how do you see South Africa in the light of COVID-19?
NS: As a leader of WeThinkCode_ with a mandate to fulfil, I think COVID-19 has shown that we have a responsibility to focus specifically on building resilience and agility within our organisation and within our students. COVID-19 was a curveball and we need to be prepared for those unexpected situations. I am happy that we set the bar high, maintained that standard and have learned what it takes to keep it there.
As a country, I think the lockdown and COVID-19 has dramatically exposed the cost to us as a nation of many wasted years and squandered resources. This is now starkly apparent in the neglect we see in our institutions and the outcomes for the most vulnerable members of our society. As a nation we need to do better. It is not good enough to be satisfied living with so many broken systems. We deserve better. I hope we can learn from this moment.
PM: How can the delivery of technology positively impact South Africa?
NS: Tech has the power to level the playing field in so many ways. As WeThinkCode_ we see this on a daily basis. Individuals from marginalised backgrounds are getting into the game with raw intelligence, ambition and determination and taking their place within corporate South Africa. Tech is the way of the future and a great equaliser, enabling us to leapfrog many of the barriers of disadvantage. We need to accelerate the role of tech within education to empower our young people and equip them for the future. I believe that, with the willingness and participation of all stakeholders, this can be done. Our youngsters deserve it.
