International IT Academy

With the whakaako initiative, we offer free IT training courses for disadvantaged people. Worldwide.

In the Maori language whakaako means “to teach”. Why Maori?
From bisonaide headquarters, New Zealand is the most remote country on the globe.
whakaako’s approach to remote education can give even people at “the ends of the world” a new chance. Provided there is an internet connection.

Interested in becoming a part of it? More information here


On this page:

People with passion can change the world for the better. Those people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones that actually do.

Our mission

Your homeland, your chance


Consequences of involuntary migration for economic reasons

  • Refuge and displacement have a strong negative impact on personal health and mental well-being.
  • Brain drain” through emigration robs countries of origin of their own development opportunities
  • Integration is a challenging task for both the migrant and the country of migration.

That is why bisonaide pursues three goals with whakaako:

  • We enable people who are disadvantaged due to gender, origin, faith or social status to receive attractive vocational training. And we do so in professions that can be practiced remotely.
  • We ensure that people do not have to leave their homes to fulfill their family obligations, but can earn their living where they are needed. At home.
  • We encourage our students to become teachers themselves

We offer:

  • IT courses and mentoring from beginner to professional level.
  • Provision of necessary hardware and software
  • On-site support from our local partner organization
  • Mediation of jobs and projects after training at whakaako

whakaako is currently starting up and will be live at the first locations around Oct-2023


» Wanna join our team?
Where we are

Our Locations/Partners

At each location there is a classroom where students can meet for their course session. There, they are also coached by a staff member from our partner organizations. The classes themselves and the professional follow-up support take place 100% remotely.

 

Our partner organization in Oradea is Asociatia Vieti Schimbate, which has been active in Romania for several years. In Romania, students tend to come from difficult social backgrounds and therefore require competent support to accompany their IT training.

In Tororo, we work with Heart for Children, which provides orphans with a home and schooling. There is a good infrastructure there to introduce motivated young people to the world of IT.
Until now, there have been no opportunities for vocational training in Tororo. This is to change with whakaako. Students from the high school run by Heart for Children will soon have the opportunity to enroll in the whakaako IT academy.

Our partners in Kiyunga are the organizations Vision for Africa and Edutek.
Kiyunga has a very good infrastructure by African standards, with opportunities for training in practical professions and IT. Here, we provide support primarily through the “teach the teachers” approach. Very well-trained local teachers reduce dependence on foreign countries and improve the quality of education.

In Katikamo we are represented locally by our partner organization Emmaus Centre, which also maintains its own school with over 700 students. Katikamo is about 50 km away from the capital Kampala and we reach here students from rural structure.

We need you

Volunteers wanted


We are always looking for volunteers as IT tutors and mentors as well as to assist at our headquarter.

Through your involvement at whakaako, you can change people’s lives. Sharing knowledge has been part of our culture since time immemorial. Would you like to let others benefit from your own education?
It will also change your life if you give something back to others!

If you want to participate you can find more information here

A life story

Daniela, 19 years


Daniela lives on the outskirts of the large Romanian city of Oradea. She is smart. In fact, she’s much smarter than all her classmates who went to elementary school with her. But Daniela is teased and can’t make friends. She loses her courage and sees no chance in her life.Why?

Daniela is Roma. An ethnic minority whose life is marked out by prejudice, rejection and inequality of opportunity.Daniela never finished elementary school. No one supported her. No one recognized her talent. Today at 19, Daniela still lives in the same old trailer on the outskirts of Oradea where she was born.She gives herself no perspective for the future. Daniela has given up on herself

With the free training at whakaako, Daniela also has a chance for a successful and dignified life.

You are interested

Apply as a student


Currently, we provide education exclusively at the locations specified above. Therefore, it is necessary for you to reside near one of these locations.
Also check out our info flyer for students
To apply, kindly make use of the contact form provided or send an email directly to info@bisonaide.com.


» Contact
Who is part of the team

Team whakaako

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This is where a worldwide team of volunteers comes into being.