Rajveer Singh Jolly became a Lead SA Youth Hero in his teens with big dreams to go to Mars. Now, he’s bringing another portion of the future to underprivileged kids!
South Africa (16 April, 2023) — Rajveer Singh Jolly grabbed South Africa’s attention as a 15-year-old ambassador of ‘The Mars Generation’ with a space mission and a heart of gold. Now, at 19, he’s focused on the latter by focusing on an incredible social enterprise he founded himself. Aptly, its name is Project Future.
How did he get ‘back to the future?’ and what is Project Future all about?
After his Interact Club went to Vaaitjies Primary School to deliver sandwiches —which for many kids, would be the only meal of the day—something happened.
“A child behind me glanced at the screen in disbelief and started briskly wiping the filter off his face. That moment was a stark awakening which also carved the mission of Project Future that someone’s current financial incapability should not restrict them from accessing and learning about the very ‘future’ that a few privileged ones can access.”—Rajveer.
That moment created a chain reaction of kindness for Rajveer. Although it wasn’t his first rodeo giving back to the community, it was certainly a significant one, and the beginning of Project Future.
“Everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from future advancements, and we Africans must be ready for the 4th industrial revolution, especially African Youth.
“Through Project Future, we aim to tackle the very problem of the digital divide that plagues our beautiful continent. We have shown virtual reality experiences in underprivileged communities to showcase the power of technology and have provided introductory lessons about the technologies that will power the future, such as web3. We believe we can bridge the gap between emerging technologies and everyday people by exposing individuals to these technologies and providing them with the tools to learn.”
Like you, we were incredibly excited to learn more, and so we asked Rajveer to fill us in.
You share that closing the gap that is the digital divide is Project Future’s mission. How do you think this gap is currently impacting South Africa?
Growing up here [In South Africa] I have understood and seen the first-hand shift towards tech from schooling institutions with the aim to prep the students for the move towards an increasingly digital society (which was especially evident during the pandemic).
The problem comes in when there is one side of the population who has access to these bleeding edge tools and knowledge about tech/ai powered tools while the other side does not even know about the recent AI-related breakthroughs that can significantly enhance their workflows and get them access to other self-empowering tech-related tools and knowledge.
What this causes is a rapid division between the two sides as one side benefits from the wonders of tech and the other side simply remains stagnant. With the unfortunate reality of poverty, the struggles that come with it and the inherent issue of inequality, it becomes increasingly important we can target the youth, from all socio-economic backgrounds, as they are the ones that will need to find jobs and create businesses with technology at the centre of it. South African Youth are at a unique position to harness technology to benefit themselves, start businesses and create jobs to benefit others too!
How often do you do outreach programmes/workshops, or how often would you like Project Future to?
Project Future Outreach projects are often linked with school breaks from the African Leadership Academy as during certain parts of the year, schools in Cape Town (home) are still functioning. Optimally, we would like to push for at least 2 workshops every month and because they would be recorded, we will constantly add those videos and masterclasses to Infinity, which would allow users to access videos from the past thus creating a library that can be accessed anytime, anywhere and the comfort of the user. Hybrid outreach is a powerful way in which we believe we can tap into many different backgrounds while keeping our content easily accessible.
Where do you see South Africa in 5 years if initiatives like Project Future take off?
To put it simply, I see a more digitally connected, tech-literate South Africa, if initiatives like Project Future take off! I see people across all socio-economic become increasingly more digitally literate allowing them to be involved in the active transition to the 4th Industrial Revolution which is empowering and human centred and inclusive to ALL South Africans.
What would you say to people who believe that tech is only for the privileged?
Technology has always been about pushing boundaries for the benefit of all. Whether a specific company develops a solution that is exclusive to another brand, it’s not uncommon to see that solution trickle down as other individuals make the solution more accessible to all.
How do you think NFT knowledge can benefit young South Africans?
Absolutely! NFT knowledge has the potential to be a game-changer for young South Africans! Imagine the excitement and possibilities of owning and creating unique digital assets, and leveraging them to build businesses, express creativity, and participate in the global digital economy. With NFT knowledge, young South Africans can unlock a whole new world of opportunities, empowering them to thrive in the digital age with confidence and innovation.
How can people support Project Future?
When it comes to supporting Project Future, the impact we can make is truly inspiring! By spreading the word about Project Future’s mission to close the digital divide in South Africa, we can create a ripple effect of positive change, equipping young South Africans with the digital skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the 21st century.
Whether it’s volunteering your time and expertise, or actively engaging with Project Future’s programs, workshops, and outreach efforts, we have the power to make a real difference in the lives of young South Africans. Together, we can create a more inclusive and digitally connected South Africa, where all youth have the opportunity to thrive and succeed with technology at their fingertips!
You can visit Project Future on Instagram, and keep up with Rajveer’s projects via LinkedIn or Twitter.
Instagram: @projectfutureza
LinkedIn: Rajveer Singh Jolly | LinkedIn
Twitter: @RajveerJolly
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