Kutunga

09/07/2026

We are delighted to share that Mtoto News International (Kutunga Design Academy) has been awarded a Safe Online grant to implement Cohort Two of the A-CODES Fellowship.

This is an important milestone in our journey to help create a safer digital world for children.

Today, children are using digital devices and online platforms at younger ages than ever before. While technology creates incredible opportunities for learning, creativity, and connection, it also exposes children to risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation, and privacy concerns. This is why child safety should be part of the design process from the very beginning.

The A-CODES Fellowship equips software engineers, developers, designers, educators, tech enthusiasts, and innovators with the practical knowledge and skills to build child-centred, safe-by-design digital products. Through eight expert-led modules, participants explore topics including child-centred design, online safety, responsible innovation, digital wellbeing, AI and emerging technologies, and safety-by-design principles.

We are sincerely grateful to Safe Online for believing in our vision and supporting this important work. Together, we are helping build a future where every child can learn, play, and thrive safely online.

We look forward to welcoming our next cohort and working with passionate changemakers who are committed to building safer, more inclusive digital experiences for children across Africa and beyond.

23/06/2026

23/06/2026

Some questions deserve to be asked out loud. 🌍

"Are children quietly paying the price for our progress?" — Charlene Brouwer, Brouwer Productions

This Day of the African Child, we're not just celebrating Africa's digital future. We're asking who bears the cost of building it and making sure it isn't our children.

What kind of future are we building if progress comes at the expense of the very children we claim to protect?

22/06/2026

The Environmental Cost of Africa's Digital Future 🌍💧

What does it mean to build Africa’s digital future if children are the ones quietly carrying the cost?

The Day of the African Child may have passed, but the conversation is just getting started.

Every click, every stream, and every AI prompt has something physical behind it: water, land, energy, minerals, and infrastructure. Too often, the environmental cost of digital progress falls hardest on communities already living with scarcity.

As Africa moves forward, we need to pause and ask ourselves:

💭 Who is really paying the price for digital progress?
💭 What does this mean for our children?
💭 Are we building a future that protects their dignity, health, and right to thrive?

We also call on businesses and institutions to honestly reflect on their role. Are you helping protect children’s access to water, safety, and a sustainable future, or unintentionally limiting it?

These may be difficult questions, but they are necessary.

This campaign is a collaboration between Kutunga, For the Voiceless, Brouwer Productions, Education Matters, and the Institute of Design & Innovation, and we would love for you to be part of this important conversation.

Please share this post and tag someone who needs to hear this.

Because Africa’s digital future cannot and must not be built at the expense of its children.

16/06/2026

50 years ago today, the children of Soweto changed history. 🌍

They said NO to an oppressive system and demanded dignity. Today, they’ve passed the torch to us to ensure no child's potential is ever suppressed again.

This Day of the African Child, Kutunga Initiative honors their bravery by focusing on the 2026 theme: Universal Access to WASH for Every Child.

Clean water and sanitation are baseline rights. Without them, children miss school. But African children aren't waiting for solutions—they’re inventing them! From smart handwashing stations to greywater recycling, young minds are leading the way. At Kutunga, we map their needs and invest in their brilliant ideas. 💡💧

👇 Join the conversation: How can communities better support and fund grassroots, child-led innovations in water and sanitation?

29/05/2026

"It takes a village to raise a child." 🌍 Read that again. But in a digital, rapidly evolving world, what does that village look like?

Save the date for a powerful Masterclass: From Learning to Leading: Reflections, Realities & Training the Trainer with the phenomenal Ms. Doris Kwambo!

With an incredible career spanning from inclusive education at the High School for the Blind to digital safeguarding with the Kutunga cohort, Ms. Kwambo brings wealth, wisdom, and actionable insights on how we can co-create meaningful educational futures.
DOCX

🗓 When: 03 June | 18h30 - 19h45 EAT
💻 Where: Zoom https://lnkd.in/dETyw6XP

Whether you are an educator, a mentor, or a leader looking to inspire change, this conversation is for you. Tap the link to secure your spot!

22/05/2026

Reflecting on an incredible 2 days at AI EVERYTHING KENYA x GITEX KENYA

What an incredible two days it has been at the AI Everything x GITEX Kenya, the Kutunga design academy team had the immense privilege of engaging with global policymakers, tech innovators, investors, and change-makers to champion a critical mission: building a digital world that has children at its heart.

Over the past two days, we loved unpacking the WATOTO Design for Children Framework and its 10 Design Standards with the tech community. We proved that true digital transformation in the Global South is incomplete without safety-by-design. From prioritizing children’s privacy to ensuring AI transparency and inclusivity, these standards provide a practical roadmap for developers to co-create systems that recognize children's unique needs and agency.

Thank you to every stakeholder who stopped by the Kutunga Design Clinic, interacted with our experiential space, and committed to shaping the conscience of future technology. You made this summit unforgettable.

Missed the chance to connect with us in person? You can still explore the interactive framework, test the diagnostic tools, and dive into the 10 Design Standards here: https://lnkd.in/e2-gVYtd

19/05/2026

Heading to AI EVERYTHING KENYA x GITEX KENYA this week?

We are thrilled to invite you to the Kutunga Design Clinic! Visit us at Hall 2 | Stand H2-S24 to step into an interactive, experiential space dedicated to building safer digital worlds.

Through the Watoto Design for Children Framework, we are exploring what it truly means to design child-centered systems, technology, AI, and digital futures. Let’s move beyond basic protection and actively co-create tech that prioritizes children's safety, well-being, and agency.

Grab your pass, come interact with our team, and let’s shape the future of responsible tech together!

See you there from 20 – 21 May 2026!

29/04/2026

Child Safety by Design: Join us at RightsCon 2026, Lusaka Zambia

As digital environments rapidly evolve, how do we ensure the "rewiring of childhood" remains safe and supportive?

Join us in Lusaka for an essential workshop: "From Code to Care: Developing a Child-Centred Code of Design for Tech and AI." We are honored to feature Ms. Caroline Makumbe, CEO of Kutunga Design Academy. With over 22 years of expertise, Caroline bridges the gap between complex tech policy and the lived realities of Gen Alpha. This session will look at how the systems we are building shape children’s digital realities, and how do we redesign them for safer outcomes?

Workshop Details:

📅 Date: 06 May 2026
⏰ Time: 10:15 – 11:15
📍 Venue: Room 2, 1st Floor, Mulungushi, MICC

🔗 Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8oOq3cX9l-LTXKcn4rCR9_nX6Hiy4Y7RQ-qDQrlj2oUJeEA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=118371187987138121062

Let’s move from reactive protection to proactive, child-centered design. See you there!