Over Coffee® is on Labor Day weekend hiatus. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top podcast episodes of 2024–and have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Can virtual reality change the future–for the better?

Africa VR Campus and Center Founder/CEO Paul Simon Waiyaki might answer that question with an adamant “yes”.

Since 2016, Waiyaki, who is the first African in the metaverse, has been introducing members of African communities to virtual reality.

At the same time, he’s introducing the rest of the world to Africa.

Ministering to youth

Waiyaki, a community leader based in Nairobi, Kenya, offers the local youth free classes, taught in virtual reality.

Working in tandem with Africa VR Campus and Center Associate Director Diana Njeri, and Associate Director Dr. Tom Nickel, he does outreach to schools, and has established Africa VR Network: a series of programs reaching participants all over Africa, to extend their work and future opportunities through XR.

One of these programs in particular, XR Girls Africa, has resulted in some exciting accomplishments for the young women participating. In 2023, XR Girls Africa won the “Social Impact” Award in the Girls STEAM Competition, hosted in the metaverse! In addition, they now host their own metaverse events, and have recently launched their weekly podcast, on Banter.

Africa in the metaverse

Meanwhile, there’s also an opportunity for metaverse visitors, to get to know Africa.

Every Thursday at noon, Pacific time, Waiyaki hosts a one-hour session, “Tales from Africa”, on the Engage platform, in which he offers an authentic look at the circumstances of daily life in Africa, and the cultures of his country.

Waiyaki explains that, in Africa, resources can be limited. Some residents lack electricity, internet access can be spotty among those who do have a connection, and some secondary students still must pay tuition fees to attend classes. And once they arrive, the facilities may also be limited.

“Some of the schools don’t even have roofs!” Waiyaki says.

Girls and women, especially, can have very difficult lives. In a recent “Tales from Africa” session, Waiyaki explained that in some areas of Africa, men are legally allowed to beat their wives–and girls as young as six years old can be “married off”.’

Waiyaki and his team are working to change that future.

Out of their own pockets, the staff at Africa VR Campus and Center not only teach their young students in the metaverse–they also give them a small stipend which allows them to help feed their families.

And much more is coming.

While we won’t say what these are (yet), there are at least two exciting projects on the horizon, for Africa VR Campus and Center, which will make a huge difference, in 2025 and beyond.

Meanwhile, here is Waiyaki, in the interview we recorded in February, 2024, with the story of his own introduction into the metaverse, the creation of Africa VR Campus and Center, and his goals for the future.

On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

• Waiyaki’s memories from his growing-up years;

• His own introduction to virtual reality, and how he subsequently came to bring the technology to Nairobi;

• The story of the Africa VR Campus and Center;

• How Africa VR Campus and Center’s weekly metaverse events came about;

• Why these conversations will lead to more authentic perceptions of Africa;

• One of the aspects of African culture which Waiyaki shared with an attendee;

• A closer look at Africa VR Campus and Center’s educational outreach;

• And, a closer look at XR Girls Africa and their competition win, as well as the tech skills they’re learning;

• A shout-out to some of the supporters of Africa VR Campus and Center;

• Waiyaki’s vision for the future;

• How you can get involved, to support Africa VR Campus and Center’s programs (hint: it doesn’t necessarily have to be financial support!).