To tackle youth unemployment, this edtech company has set up a program aimed at assisting young individuals in acquiring additional skills via workshops and online courses.

Crafty Workshop is an edtech platform developed by an Egyptian startup, founded in 2019. It gives users access to online courses and video content in fields such as crafts, technology, and photography.

The solution does not have a mobile application. It is accessible through its web platform and an account is required to access its services. Users can take courses every day and at any hour of the day. 

Its free courses are accessible for free but, paid courses require a subscription, which costs 150 Egyptian pounds ($4.85) monthly and 500 pounds yearly. Subscription gives access to premium content and can be shared with a friend or family member. The platform also features an online marketplace where artisans can create virtual stores to sell their wares. Users can also register as trainers and share their knowledge by giving online courses and/or running an online store.

Last week, the platform announced the successful completion of a $400,000 funding round to, among other things, improve its technology and diversify its offerings. Its co-founder Hadeer Shalaby also explained that the funds will serve, among other things, to extend the startup’s reach to the Gulf region and enrich the content library.

Adoni Conrad Quenum

At the national stage, it competed against 245 applicants. On the international stage, they were well over 1300. 

Cameroonian startup Services for Aged –founded by Cameroonian-born Olivia Kamga (photo, left)- quickly gained credibility in the national and international tech community in recent months.  Launched in mid-2023, it has already won two awards for its digital platform that connects the elderly with home care in rural areas.

The two awards were issued by French telecom group Orange in the framework of its  Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East (POESAM) competition. At the national stage, the startup won the “special women’s prize”, on July 20. Last October 18, it also won the "Coup de Coeur" in Kigali, Rwanda, in the framework of the international phase, whose winners were unveiled on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress Africa 2023.

Services for Aged gives busy rural populations and the diaspora the ability to hire care personnel to look after their elderly relatives.  The startup specifically targeted the elderly in rural areas given that they are often vulnerable to social exclusion, isolation, and health problems.  

It offers four types of monthly and à la carte subscriptions. They include medical and preventive care, personal hygiene and body care, home consultations, shopping, leisure, and social activities, among others with regular care reports sent to its subscribers. Its services are available in several regions across Cameroon, including the Centre and the West regions.  To meet the growing demand for its services, the startup has deployed a network of qualified caregivers across the country.  

With its mobile and desktop applications, Services for Aged demonstrates that the digital transformation ongoing in Africa, and Cameroon in particular,  offers the opportunity to maintain social ties with loved ones, even remotely. 

To facilitate efficient bus journey planning within the Kingdom of Morocco, tech entrepreneurs have developed a customized digital solution.

MarKoub is a digital solution developed by a Moroccan startup. It enables users to search for bus prices and timetables, compare offers from several transport companies, and book tickets online. The Rabat-based startup was founded in 2017 by Omar Chaabi and Zouhir Droussi.

The solution features a mobile app accessible for iOS, Huawei, and Android devices. After creating an account with their e-mail address, users can search for available offers by entering the date of travel, departure city, arrival city, and number of travelers. They can then choose the companies and seat(s) that suit them best, and validate their purchase by paying using the payment methods available on the application.

After this step, the user receives a confirmation e-mail containing a code to be shown to board the bus.  It should be noted that a reservation fee of 5 Moroccan dirhams (approx. $0.49) applies to certain routes. Also, depending on the size and weight of the luggage, some companies may charge additional fees.

The startup is partnered with over sixty transport companies. Since its launch, it has received several awards, including the Royal Air Maroc Hackathon in 2017, Maroc Telecom's Entrepreneurship Award in 2018, App of the Year at the Moroccan Web Awards in 2019, and the Bronze Award at the Huawei Developer Competition (2020). In 2023, it was among the 100 Moroccan startups that took part in the year’s edition of GITEX Africa in Morocco. Since its launch, the Android version of its app has been downloaded over 100,000 times, according to Play Store data.

Adoni Conrad Quenum

The idea that launched it is the result of one of the founders’ concerns about the safety of his first car. It was brought to life to become a much more affordable and customized alternative to existing solutions. 

Alltrack is a digital app developed by a Mozambican startup. It enables users to track their vehicles in real-time from a mobile application. Americo Chaquisse, one of the founders of the Maputo-based startup, came up with the idea in 2015 when he bought his first vehicle.

"I was concerned about the safety of my car, and the solutions available on the market at the time were expensive and didn't give me the option of controlling my car myself or integrating their solutions with other hardware devices. So I decided to create my own solution. [...] In the worst-case scenario, the user is allowed to block the car, by cutting off the oil and electricity. All this can be done using a smartphone," said Chaquisse.

The app is available for iOS and Android devices. To access its vehicle tracker, a user needs to download that app and create an account. But first, the device tracker needs to be installed in the vehicle. Even if the vehicle’s battery is removed, the user can still track it normally. Among other things, Alltrack enables the owner to easily locate his or her car, be warned when a third party starts it, find out all the routes taken by the car, or even find out if someone is touching or trying to open one of the vehicle's doors.

The startup offers a seven-day trial where users will have access to their vehicle's position in real time, the vehicle's lock, and alerts. Apart from this, there's the bronze package billed at 800 meticals (approx. $12.52) for 6 months, and the one-year silver package costing 3,500 meticals. With the latter, users have access to all the solution's features.

Adoni Conrad Quenum