By Mavhuto Banda
Lilongwe — The opening of the first such academy in Africa – it has started operating in Malawi – is a major step towards the use of drones in programmes and services that will impact the lives of children and young people.
The historic African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) opened in the capital, Lilongwe, this week.
It builds on the work of Africa’s first humanitarian corridor launched in the Southern African country in 2017.
The academy will develop expertise in the use of drones for humanitarian, development and commercial purposes across the continent through a 12-week course.
It plans to train some 150 students to build and pilot drones by 2021. Funding from UNICEF’s partners will provide free tuition to the first cohort of 26 students from across Africa.
Henrietta Fore, the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF’s) Executive Director, said ADDA would be instrumental in equipping young people with the skills they needed to use the technology to benefit children and their communities.
“Humanitarian and development programme delivery in Africa and beyond can benefit significantly from the application of drone technology,” she added.
ADDA’s curriculum has been developed in partnership with the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Read more…
