Forem: Blessed Jason Mwanza

Bootstrapping Enterprise Software Platforms for Africa and the Globe - By African Developers

Blessed Jason Mwanza — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 23:43:00 +0000

This article is adapted from a presentation delivered by Blessed Jason Mwanza at Google DevFest 2024, Lusaka.

1. No One Will Invest in Your Idea 🤨

Alright, what a weird way to start an article and presentation... 👀 Of course, you might be wondering. 😅 But hear me out, read on, you'll love it I promise.

1.1 Unless Your Side Hustle Starts Making More Money Than Your Day Job (or at least close to it...)

No statement in the startup world rings truer than the heading above. And of course, there's a reason for this: it's imperative to understand why this is the case and how this understanding will help you avoid the pitfalls of building solutions that fail to scale beyond your initial vision. Let's get to it, shall we? 💁🏾‍♀️💁🏾‍♂️

1.2 The Two Primary Reasons Why No One Is Investing or Willing to Invest in Your Idea

1.2.1 People Will Always Join When and Where They See Value

It's a well-known fact—by default, humanity behaves like a mosquito. We want to associate with those who have what we need and go where we find benefits, as opposed to helping others build value from inception and foundation. Consider this normal, please. I'll share in the next few paragraphs how you can turn this reality into value to your advantage.

1.2.2 Investors Fund Businesses, Not Assumed Ideas or Imaginations

When it comes to investors, the only naked truth is... well, they do not fund ideas. Investors just don't do that unless it's through a friend or connection (a rare case in the African setup).

Traction proves business viability. Investors do not invest for charity purposes; they are in business, and the first rule of business is to "Generate Revenue"—Money (profits!).

It's that simple! Know this truth, apply it, and you'll be halfway to peace and getting that funding 💸.

2. Solution - Create Value!

This is the starting point in gaining economic power! This is also how you attract people to invest in you. Build for Africa, with global consumption and competition in mind.

Beggars and consumers can never and will never be choosers.

But how do you create value? You might ask... Where do you start? Below are your answers:

Start With What You Have

We need to utilize the tools at our disposal. Let us learn from how China did it—they never complained, going around begging for aid.

Africa faces unique software challenges that present huge opportunities for innovators and problem solvers. From limited access to localized solutions and high reliance on imported technologies in both informal and formal sectors to diverse user needs (business models, currencies, regulations). These are goldmines for every African building platforms that address local challenges while scaling globally. There's just so much untapped market value not yet saturated. 🥇

That constant feeling like people owe you something should be erased.

The world owes you nothing! And it's the case for Africa and every African citizen to realize and act on. Stop expecting miracles where you have not worked! - Deuteronomy 28:12

Get a Little Obsessed - No Shortcuts

A sprinkle of obsession has proved to always get the work done. We must build innovations that will leave a legacy for Africa and the generations to come. We must cultivate an identity and defend it!

The basic, simple, and mediocre idea of going to school, getting a job (many are struggling with this part), getting married, and living a happy life (well, this seems not to be working for most), has proven not to work! You can see this from your parents who barely get by (a reality for the majority of people). What guarantee, then, do we have that if we set these simple goals for our future, our lives and that of our grandchildren will be any different? It calls, then, for anyone wanting to build a disruptive future to start by—"Thinking and Acting Differently."

Passion for the Next Generation

Without passion, you’ll drift back into an average human being in just a matter of days. Making ends meet isn’t enough for your whole lifetime. It's a waste of resources. Your home problems are too petty to be wasting your entire life's energy on them. We’re in service to humanity’s future, and it's essential that we are not selfish and short-term thinkers who only worry about their bellies. This mindset is paramount to building generational wealth and generational technology solutions for Africa. Therefore, every developer and innovator must, at the very least, grab and apply such thoughts in their daily activities if we are ever to build solutions that will last the test of time.

Summary - My word to you

Creating value is the key to unlocking Africa’s potential and shaping a legacy for future generations. The truth is, no one will invest in just an idea; they invest in businesses that prove they can create meaningful impact and generate revenue. As African innovators, we have a unique opportunity to solve the challenges we live with daily and turn them into global opportunities.

Start where you are, with the tools you have, and don’t wait for a perfect moment or handouts. Get obsessed with your vision and build something that matters—not just for today but for the generations to come. This isn’t about short-term wins; it’s about cultivating an identity for Africa that stands the test of time.

Be passionate about making a difference, not just for yourself but for humanity's future. It’s okay to take the path less traveled—it’s often where the most transformative ideas are born. Stay focused, be relentless, and never settle for mediocrity. The world owes you nothing, but you have everything within you to make a lasting impact.

Your journey starts today. Let’s build solutions that inspire, empower, and uplift. The future of Africa—and the world—is in your hands. 🌍✨

PS - My startup BraveLender Software hired 4 Developers from this event as a way to contribute back to the community and utilize local talent to create viable solutions. Read more about BraveLender Software

DevFest 2024 - Lusaka Zambia Photo Dump

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You’re NOT Dumb, You Just Lack the Prerequisites - Programming 💡

Blessed Jason Mwanza — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 21:58:55 +0000

Building from scratch isn't about reinventing the wheel—it's about gaining the core knowledge that empowers you to solve problems more effectively and become a stronger developer. - Blessed Jason Mwanza

As many of you already know, I’ve always been stubborn about building things from scratch! 😅 Some of my fellow devs have asked, “Why reinvent the wheel?” Well, here's the truth: building from scratch gives you that solid foundation of knowledge you need to truly understand what’s going on. It’s like learning math—most people aren’t bad at math, they just don’t fully grasp the basic concepts behind it. Similarly, building from scratch gives you superpowers (trust me on this one). When you jump into frameworks or libraries, your brain just starts connecting the dots ✨. Debugging becomes smoother, and development time gets faster!

On the flip side

I’ve noticed the mindset that develops when you start with frameworks right away. It can lead to always relying on external libraries, packages, or frameworks for every problem you run into. And that can be dangerous ⚠️. When you rely too much on other people's code, your project can turn into a tangled mess of unoptimized code—a recipe for chaos and code debt as your project grows.

So, in short;

learning how things work by exploring the basics will sharpen your problem-solving skills 🧠 and enhance your overall understanding of code. This shows up when you need to craft solutions where no library exists—an important skill every programmer should bring to the team. Revisiting our quote above;

Building from scratch isn't about reinventing the wheel—it's about gaining the core knowledge that empowers you to solve problems more effectively and become a stronger developer. - Blessed Jason Mwanza

>> #HappyCoding buddy! 🤓
>> Here’s to innovation and a bright future 🥂
>> #MotivatedDev 🚀

Programming in High School

Blessed Jason Mwanza — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 18:26:26 +0000

Hi there,

First, I acknowledge that you are about to take some of your precious time to read this, and I am grateful. Hover on - I promise you'll love it.

So, this is a fast-track back to 2018, when we just started having Developer meetups, physical code sessions, and all stuff creative ah ... nerdy! Yeah, that's the word. Ask me about it - wena, every weekend was worth having. I mean, the feeling - when everyone else hoped into chilling for a swim or clubs, Code meetups just happened to be a new club I found.

Ooops, sorry, I almost forgot. First things first, shall we?

Thanks

Hello world,

I am Blessed Jason Mwanza, passionate about solving problems using lines of code. In simple words, I write colored text for a living. :-)

Allow me to take you back a bit, just a bit. You have my word it won't be that many years back.

Great, and thank you, you just time traveled. You're officially in High School. Weird news, your current location is in Lusaka, Zambia. It happens to be that since childhood, you have had a keen enthusiasm for creating innovative solutions that could one day, hopefully, one day, help people through their everyday life. Unfortunately, no one believes in this crazy imagination of yours. By no one, I mean not even your classmates - they all think you're crazy anyway. And worst-case scenario, not even your parents. But remember this, you tell yourself. The moon - an object so essential to supporting human life, shines the brightest when it's dark or when things are tough (in your current situation, you refer). To get the frustration off your head, you read a few lines from the next chapter of a book you're holding, and it quotes;

"Scientists have discovered in recent years, along with the other startling discoveries such as radio, television, mastery of the air, etc., that any man may achieve practically any end which he may set up in his own mind as a definite chief aim. It is literally true that a man with a definite purpose, and with full faith in his ability to realize that purpose, cannot be permanently defeated. He may meet with temporary defeat; perhaps many such defeats, but failure, never!" - Napoleon Hill [From the book - The Magic Ladder to Success]

Ah huh! I might not be that crazy it seems, - you say in affirmation by reading the quote for a second time. Wee Woo!! The siren wails - it's time for your assembly. The school headmaster is ready to address the school.

"In conclusion," the headmaster announces his final statement. - "as you all may be aware, the nation has adopted the IT curriculum as a mandatory subject to be taught in schools. In these regards, today, we'll have a guest from BongHive, and he's going to share his journey and how some of you may benefit from the programs they're offering. Please do the courtesy of settling in the DH (Dining Hall) post class hours at noon." Oh wow, "this must be one of the most interesting assemblies I've had at this school," you tell your brain in excitement.

It's time, the session is running, and you have this wide arc on the lower section of your face (AKA - a smile). Simultaneously, this gentleman talks about how he started his journey in software development (You can relate already, and so you begin to engage by answering most of his questions)- At this point, it seems like another version of you is in the room, finally. He proceeds by sharing how they partnered with Facebook, now Meta, to help bring aspiring developers together to bridge the innovation gap innovative wannabes like you have been facing.

Concluding into the bargain, the guest (his name is Mbuyu, by the way) announces an event coming in a few weeks, and you're all invited. They'll be launching a community called the ForLoop and ... "Wait a minute, my stomach is ice cold in excitement now" your brain goes on blushing to the unfathomable energy-driving events of the day.

Humbly, you pack your bags, heading home to prepare. However, what you did not know is that - the events and opportunities that will come after attending these meetups will change your entire life, future, and career. We'll discuss them in part two of this journey.

So, the person in this article described as you, is - Blessed Jason Mwanza. I decided to share my journey and hope to continue doing so - with anticipation that you might either; relate or find something from it. Please let me know your thoughts if you like me to continue with part two.

To be continued...

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Progate Code Community in Zambia - @ Cavendish University

Blessed Jason Mwanza — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:46:21 +0000

So, here is a question; What if I was to tell you that you can learn to write code just like you learn how to play a game?

I am sure we all know how easy it is to tap into those word games right? Now, imagine yourself learning how to code and build software just by playing games :-) or atleast something close to it 🙈 !

 < Welcome to Progate everybody :-) />

🙅🏽‍♂️ Hold on a second, Intros First 👀 👋🏽

Oh - sorry , almost forgot😄. Let's do the needful, shall we? 🤗

My name is Blessed Jason Mwanza, a full-stack software developer, love to build viable tech stuff, and currently a student at Microverse online coding school. And today, you and I together, we'll discover amazing ways to learning what I love to do 🤓. Let's jump right into :-) !

🕺🏽 < The Awesome Experience /> 🚀

> a little story, I promise

12th April 2019 was that amazing day when I was given an opportunity to share some insights about Progate and how this great platform has been helping; those transition into tech careers, self-taught and self-driven developers get the best skills that are expected of them to have from the current agile centered tech industries, companies alike, and the future of work.

Wow! Awesome….! But, wait a second...

What Is Progate? 🤔

> [Progate](https://progate.com/) is an online platform that helps you learn programming with ease and fun experience.

Here is a short official description, and the benefits it provides. it goes...

We wanted to create a service to allow even complete beginners to learn without frustration so we started Progate.
Many people want to start programming, but don’t know how or where to start.
So they get stuck before they even begin.
Our goal is to solve this problem by making the world’s best service for learning to code and delivering it to beginners all over the world.

That’s it! The above statements clearly describe what Progate is all about. Now its time for some fun right 😊 ? Kindly join me and the Cavendish University students to know more on how we spent our time enjoying learning via Progate.

🏡 The Environment and Experience

It's Friday! Cool weather 🌤️ , bright minds 🤓, teenagers, tech-preneurs, dreamers & enthusiasts, innovators, Data Science experts…. Woops! Do you want more? We had
Pendo Manjele 👩🏽‍💻 and the ladies in the house! 🥳 🎆

Cool...😎 yes, I know 😉 . And we was all set for the new journey - “To find a perfect platform to aid them, you & I, in getting the right skill in a perfect, simple & intuitive way.”

One thing I noticed that impressed me seeing amongst the upcoming developers, was their thirst and enthusiasm towards the idea of solving problems using software. So did the bulb in my mind click 💡 - With this kind of sudo fire and a blaze burning in every youth, we’re assured of having a brighter future as a country. Installed with minds ready willing to take up the responsibility of developing and upgrading the nation through tech, the repo effect will definetely spread through to the world.

On the other pane of observations, one bug which seemed to have no solution stood between people’s ideas and solutions awaiting implementations….

With all these resources and platforms providing coding & programming lessons, of which we can’t seem to link together when We're trying to build up a full product and/or finished idea of what we want, how on this planet are we ever going to create our viable innovations?

That was the main bug! Tutorials that provide learners with no practical solutions.

Guess what! Boom! That's where Progate comes in - you’ll surely come and thank me later on this one believe 😉.

Okay, amazing. But, Why Progate? 🤔

I figured someone 👀 might be asking…

In addition to more limitless benefits here is a short tabulated list:

Free Advanced Compiler and IDE

Wow! Yes, that means no need of you downloading any software - just use your browser. Progate provides you with a full coding environment to apply your knowledge.
Gamification

Yes, the cool part i know 😎. This is not only the best feature for schools - but the slides and gamification also make it the easiest platform ever to teach and learn coding and programming.
Learn by Doing 👨🏽‍💻 👩🏽‍💻

Another vital and important feature that Progate provides is the “learn by doing” component. This comes packed with short and yet, valuable lessons to learn “real” coding from scratch!

How do I get started? 🤩

Don’t worry, if you’re in Zambia, you can join the journey right here, otherwise, visit progate.com the official site to get started. Hey! Don’t forget to join Progate Developers slack channel - here providing you with access to various opportunities and job offers.

What's Next? 🚀 🌍

Well, other than meetups, we have taken an extra step in having weekly meetups at the Cavendish University. We managed this with extra support from local communities, developers, and Progate, in helping facilitate ‘peer to peer’ coding sessions using Progate. This is to enable developers to easily consult and extend their knowledge base from each other.

Some takeaway snacks!

javascript < Learn to Code, Learn to be Creative />

Thanks for learning and reading with me, you're awesome! 🙌🙌. Kindly feel free to share and give this article some claps 🙌🙌 by bookmarking and liking it 😉.

One last thing, Let's get chatting & sharing, you can find me on: Github, Twitter, LinkedIn