THE JOY OF LEARNING

Using her passion for coding, Gabi Immelman started Mindjoy to teach, promote and make programming accessible to children all over the world.

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Gabi Immelman, co-founder of Mindjoy, believes in finding creative solutions to real problems. She grew up surrounded by strong female role models, and her mother taught her to look into what other people value, and what they’re looking to invest in. Gabi launched Mindjoy in 2021 – an EdTech platform that introduces children to programming and coding through live virtual coding classes. The start-up aims to not only teach kids to code, but also provide individualised learning and online classes that make learning fun. “The most powerful technology in any classroom is not the devices or the software, but rather the transformation of the minds in the classroom,” Gabi says. “Lifelong learning is a skill that we need to cultivate in young people.”

FROM THE VALLEY TO VIRTUAL
At the end of 2022, the South African Department of Basic Education announced that they would introduce coding and robotics as part of the curriculum for children in Grades R to 3, and Grade 7. The roll-out for Grades 4-6 and 8 would take place in 2024, and Grade 9s would follow suit in 2025. For Gabi and her Mindjoy co-founder Ethan Marrs, this was a step in the right direction. “The goal is not just to teach children how to solve problems, but rather to enhance and challenge their ability to solve these problems creatively,” she explains. “We need to create fun, low-stakes, peerlearning environments where kids can explore coding through exciting projects.”

Although based in Cape Town, Mindjoy operates across Africa and Europe, and classes are also open to kids from other countries. Through a monthly subscription model, the platform connects creativity and imaginative thinking with a passion to promote subjects such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in children’s lives. In partnership with EdTech specialists, Gabi and Ethan lead the growing initiative that allows children to solve coding problems in the same way they would solve real-world problems.

By using Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated software, Mindjoy has partnered with over 50 schools, taught more than 3 200 students and completed over 8 000 projects. “We believe every child should have the opportunity to experience learning that is joyful, curious and inspiring,” she says. The children who use the platform experience an environment of positive reinforcement and motivation due to learning with peers. The team focuses on encouragement, celebrating progress, and playful learning. “Being forced into boring educational environments means kids build up resistance to learning. Our approach is to let the kids lead and invite their friends to learn alongside them,” she says.

Words by: Saadiqah Schroeder
Photographs: Supplied