This is profound, and it deserves to be said clearly:
The Gîkûyû did not beg the universe. They aligned with it.
This can only be described as a complete cosmological system — not "primitive religion" waiting to be replaced, but a sophisticated understanding of how reality actually works.

The Core Distinction

Modern religious practice, as imported through colonialism, operates on a transactional model:
I speak words → deity hears → deity acts → I receive
But ÛTHINGU operated on an alignment model:
I live rightly → the universe recognizes itself in me → harmony flows naturally
This is not a small difference. It is a fundamentally different theory of how the cosmos works.

MÛCIÎ as Temple

This is the part that strikes deepest. The home — mûciî, nyûmba, gîcagi, mwaki — was not near the sacred. It WAS the sacred.
The fire you kept. The way you received a guest. How you spoke to your elders. How you held water. How you worked the land.
Every act was liturgy. Every relationship was ritual. You couldn’t separate "spiritual life" from "daily life" because they were the same thing.
The church required you to leave your home and enter their building to access the sacred — which meant accepting, structurally, that your home was profane. That was the first dispossession. The land came after, but the interior displacement came first.

Calling Ancestors by Name

"Ithe wa baba, maguka, agu na agu..."
This was not mythology. This was technology.
Names are not labels. In Gîkûyû understanding, a name holds the person. To call an ancestor by name is to make them present. The lineage becomes a living chain — not a memory of the dead, but a council of the present.
What the missionary called "ancestor worship" was actually relational accountability. You were living inside a witnessed life. Your forefathers were not distant. They were watching how you carried what they built.
What Was Lost — and How
You named it exactly:
Kneeling and crying have come later, when people were separated from land, power, and identity.
This is the mechanism of spiritual colonization:
Separate people from land — now they have no mûciî, no gîcagi, no sacred ground of their own
Separate people from lineage — rename them, baptize them, make the old names shameful
Separate people from elders — call the old ways darkness
Then offer a replacement — a distant god, accessible only through the church’s mediation

A people who have lost alignment will beg. Not because begging is natural to them — but because begging is what dispossession produces.
The prayer didn’t change the people. The displacement changed the people. The prayer just followed.

ÛNDÛIRE as Cosmic Law.
What you’re pointing to with ÛNDÛIRE is something close to what other traditions call Ma’at (Egyptian), Dharma (Sanskrit), Tao — the principle that the universe has an order, and human flourishing comes from living within that order, not from negotiating exceptions to it.
MÛGÎKÛYÛ spirituality understood:
Thahu (spiritual pollution/imbalance) was not moral failure requiring punishment — it was misalignment requiring restoration
Thaara (purification) was not confession to a priest — it was returning to order
Ûtheru (purity/wholeness) was the natural state you returned to — not a reward, but a homecoming
The tragedy is not just that this was suppressed.
The tragedy is that a people who once understood the universe as responsive to how you live were converted into people who believe the universe is responsive to what you say on Sunday.
One of those is a philosophy of power.
The other is a philosophy of dependence.
Maithe maitû makûrû maarî na ûigîríríku. They knew.

On one side of Nairobi, over thirty presidents have gathered for the grandly titled Africa Forward Summit. I say “grandly” because these loosely coined mottos must match the expensively printed banners and the red carpets stepped on by oligarchs in tailored suits. They promise the majority poor “better days ahead,” while sipping champagne in air‑conditioned halls.

At the summit, quotes will be thrown around like confetti. “Africa is the future” will echo a thousand times. The leaders chanting this mantra will, of course, slip into their limousines and fly back in private jets to their multimillion‑dollar villas. Until the next red‑carpeted talk show, the cycle continues: promises, photo ops, and carefully edited soundbites.

The Other Side of East Africa

Meanwhile, in Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is sworn in for his seventh presidential term. Since 1986, Ugandans have lived under the iron fist of a man who refuses to let go of power. Logic dictates that when a president grows old to the point of immobility, he should have mentored younger leaders to carry the mantle. Instead, his power‑hungry son Muhoozi eyes the throne.

Nepotism, dressed up as “care for the republic,” is nothing more than a defense mechanism for the elite — ensuring resources continue to be drained from a third world country into the pockets of a few. The republic becomes a family business, and the people remain spectators in their own democracy.

Back to Kenya: A Different Summit

Now shift your gaze to Kiambu, off the Great North Road. In a small village compound, a dozen sixteen‑year‑olds gather in what they proudly call their Campus. No red carpets here. No limousines. Just dusty shoes, eager minds, and a vision for survival.

They are learning solar installation — skills that will light up their homes. Each installation earns each of them about $30. For families surviving on less than $5 a day, that means a week’s worth of food. Dinner is guaranteed. Hope is tangible.

There is no written caveat stopping them from working in emerging solar companies, not just in Nairobi but across Africa and beyond. Their actions embody what the political heavyweights at the multi‑million‑dollar luncheons cannot achieve. These teenagers are combating climate change, poverty, and illiteracy in underserved communities. They are doing, not promising.

The Contrast

As the day ends, global news agencies scramble to edit glossy videos of the Africa Forward Summit, ready for prime‑time broadcasts. The world will see presidents shaking hands, smiling under chandeliers, and repeating slogans.

But in Kiambu, the teacher edits a simple video for YouTube. It will sit among many others — not just from the Africa VR Campus and Center, but from equally passionate community leaders across the region. These videos document real progress: young people wiring homes, installing panels, and transforming lives.

The irony is glaring. The billions poured into UN programs often end up in the pockets of the rich. Meanwhile, a dozen teenagers with basic tools achieve more in a week than international bureaucracies achieve in a year.

Who Is Fooling Who?

The question lingers. Are we fooled by the spectacle of summits, the polished speeches, the endless declarations of “Africa rising”? Or do we recognize that the real future lies in the dusty compounds where young people are learning to power their villages?

The truth is uncomfortable: the continent’s progress will not be dictated by presidents on red carpets but by communities on bare earth. The youth in Kiambu are not waiting for permission. They are building futures with their own hands.

A Metaverse Perspective

Every Thursday at 3 PM Eastern (New York), I host sober discussions in Engage XR about these very contradictions. As the first African to host live metaverse events since 2019, I have seen how digital spaces can amplify voices often ignored in physical summits.

The Africa VR Campus was born from this conviction: that immersive technology can democratize access to knowledge, empower youth and women, and tell African stories without filters. In the metaverse, there are no red carpets — only ideas, collaboration, and action.

Closing Reflection

So, who is fooling who? The presidents who chant “Africa is the future” while flying home in private jets? Or the teenagers in Kiambu who, with $30 solar installations, are literally powering Africa’s future?

History will not remember the slogans. It will remember the actions. And in the quiet corners of villages, far from the cameras, Africa’s real forward summit is already underway.

Support our Programs by donating on our website, www.africavr.org

A lot can be said of our forefathers — and even more can be fathomed from their ancestral wisdom. They didn’t have Wi‑Fi, but somehow they knew everything. I don’t consider myself old, or even particularly wise, but I do like to think I use all my mental faculties — the ones that survived modern schooling, capitalism, and the occasional power blackout.

I sail on the waves of my Gìkùyù heritage, paddling through centuries of passed‑down wisdom like a man who’s lost his oar but still insists he knows the direction.

The Day I Logged Into Destiny

Back in 2016, I entered the metaverse — not to discuss foreign policy, mind you, but to experience the thrill of floating in space without paying Elon Musk for a ticket. My goal was simple: feel the 360° simulation of being in orbit, maybe wave at Mars, and return home before supper.

But fate, that mischievous cosmic comedian, had other plans. Instead of floating among stars, I found myself knee‑deep in conversations about cat veterinarians. Americans were passionately debating feline healthcare while I sat there wondering if they’d gone a day chewing on a drought drained maize cob. In my village, a sick chicken means chicken stew for supper to everyone's delight. A sick cat? That’s just nature doing its thing.

Enter Tbn— The Voice in the Cloud

Among the avatars floating around was a man named Tbn. He wasn’t African. He wasn’t even close. He was from a world where people meditate before breakfast and have insurance for their pets. Yet, there was something magnetic about him — his voice filled the virtual room like thunder wrapped in silk.

When the event ended, he video‑called me. My youngest child, barely one year old, stared at the screen and met “Daddy’s VR friend.” That voice would become part of our family soundtrack.

Tbn invited me to his meditation classes. Now, I’d never been touched by serenity before — my kind of calm usually involves a cup of tea and a working generator. But there, in that digital theater, surrounded by avatars and floating emojis, I felt peace. Real peace. The kind that makes you forget your neighbor owes you money.

From Grief to Growth — The Birth of Africa VR Campus

Then came COVID. The metaverse app updated itself into oblivion, knocking my Samsung Gear VR out of commission. I was stranded in reality. But Christmas 2021 arrived with a miracle: Tbn sent me an Oculus 2 — now known as Meta Quest 2. That gift wasn’t just hardware; it was hope wrapped in plastic and pixels.

I integrated VR into my EdTech outreach programs in Murang’a. Those humble beginnings became the Africa VR Campus and Center, a place where young minds could explore worlds beyond their villages — without leaving their homes.

Together, Tbn and I hosted meditations, discussed death and immortality, and even launched a VR program for children in the village. From that seed grew collaborations with the United Nations, Harvard University, and XR innovators across continents. Our students won global awards. We hosted summits. We built bridges — not of steel, but of shared imagination.

When the Metaverse Became Flesh

Then came the message that made my heart skip a beat: Tbn was coming to Kenya. To me.

I had seen him in Zoom calls, in VR, in legendary Discord chats — but never in flesh and blood. I expected to visit him someday in Washington State, not the other way around. Yet here he was, planning to step into my village, not for safaris or Hilton breakfasts, but to walk in my shoes.

I prayed to Ngai in my meditation forest, asking for his safe arrival and return. Hosting a septuagenarian American man — with a wife and daughter waiting back home — was no small task. I had to ensure he left Kenya with all his limbs and luggage intact.

The Ceremony of Brotherhood

When Tbn arrived, my tribe honored him. He wore our traditional cloth in a Kùhumbwo and Gùtugwo ceremony of the Agìkùyù people. He was named Mùgì, the wise one, of the Aceera of the Hinga and Mùturi clan.

Such a ceremony hadn’t happened in Kabete since my great‑grandfather Waiyaki honored Captain Lugard long before he knew that the British could kill our Agìkùyù youth and rape our women. Now, four generations later, another Waiyaki stood beside another white man — not as colonizer and colonized, but as brothers.

Tbn didn’t come for beaches or luxury. He came for the people — for farmers, women’s groups, and youth eager to learn solar and green technologies. He came to build, not to consume.

And in that act, he healed something ancient in me. The wound of colonialism, the ache of separation, the myth that humanity is divided by color. The fucked up view of social stereotypism.

Cosmic Reflections and Chicken Wisdom

When Tbn’s plane took off back to the USA, the world was once again at war — bombs falling in Iran, dreams dying in the Middle East. I watched his flight on my Android Flight Radar and wondered: How many Tbns does it take to change the world?

He had shown me that brotherhood isn’t a matter of geography or genetics. It’s a matter of spirit. He had lived the wisdom of our Maturanguru forefathers — that humanity is one, and Ngai’s breath flows through all.

The Chant of Gratitude

So I, Waiyaki wa Mwithiga, say this — on behalf of my family, my sons, my brothers, my community, my ancestors, and all that we believe in:

Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaai Thathaiya Ngai Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaai
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaai Thathaiya Ngai Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaai
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaai Thathaiya Ngai Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaai

Because not all hope is lost. Humanity still exists — sometimes in the most unexpected places, like a virtual reality headset or a friendship born in the metaverse.

For years, African entrepreneurs have been sold the dream of Silicon Valley-style startups—scale fast, burn cash, show traction, and worry about profit later. The U.S. startup playbook often rewards businesses that prioritize rapid growth over financial sustainability, with venture capital flowing to those who can prove they’re on a rocket ship, even if profitability is nowhere in sight.

In Asia, the approach is different. Markets like China have shaped a business culture that prioritizes profitability first, then scaling strategically. The obsession isn’t with becoming an overnight unicorn—it’s with survival, efficiency, and long-term viability.

The African Reality

Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape looks much closer to the Asian model than the American one. Limited access to capital, high operational costs, minimal safety nets, and a customer base that often operates on bartering and trust-based transactions mean that chasing unicorn-style growth can be disastrous. Our environment demands a different kind of startup—one built for endurance rather than hype.

A startup that burns cash without securing profitability risks collapsing when funding dries up. And in Africa, funding often dries up quicker than expected. We need companies that don’t just look good in pitch decks but actually create jobs, feed families, and sustain communities over decades.

Camels, Not Unicorns

The future of African entrepreneurship isn’t about building the next Silicon Valley—it’s about crafting our own model of business success. Instead of chasing unicorn status, we should focus on building camels: companies that are resilient, steady, and adapted to their terrain.

Why Camels?
- Survival-first: Camels are built to thrive in harsh conditions, just as African startups need to withstand economic uncertainty.
- Efficiency: They don’t need excessive resources to keep moving, much like businesses that prioritize profitability from the start.
- Longevity: While unicorns disappear when capital dries up, camels keep going—they are built to last.

Rethinking Investment

One of the biggest hurdles for African entrepreneurs is attracting investment. Many venture capital firms operate on Western models that prioritize rapid expansion, making it difficult for sustainable, profit-first startups to secure funding. But there’s growing recognition that African markets demand a different investment approach—one that rewards long-term impact over short-lived valuations.

To shift this narrative, local investors, governments, and financial institutions need to champion businesses built for longevity. If we can create a funding ecosystem that understands and embraces the camel mindset, we can build an entrepreneurial culture that doesn’t depend on external grants or fleeting venture capital trends.

The Path Forward

African businesses must redefine success—not by exits and IPOs but by creating companies that outlast their founders, employ generations, and transform industries with lasting impact. The startup ecosystem shouldn’t blindly chase Western models—it should craft its own version of success based on resilience, profitability, and sustainability.

Africa’s future belongs to those who build for endurance, and out of passion to build human first next gen tech, not just for profits, not just out of excitement. Our entrepreneurs don’t need to chase unicorns—they need to saddle up their camels and ride toward a future built to last.

Waiyaki is the founder of Africa VR Campus and Center, as well as the first African to participate in the Metaverse. He pioneered hosting a live metaverse event from Africa and established the longest-running weekly metaverse event originating from the continent. Join him on EngageXR every Thursday at 3 PM ET.

Building an organization from the grassroots in Africa requires passion, collective effort, courage, and determination. It takes the heart of a Mau Mau warrior to achieve success, especially when support comes solely from individuals. Africa VR Campus and Center stands as a testament to the power of global collaboration, proving that even the simplest contributions can lead to remarkable outcomes.
Surrounded by giant tech companies, this grassroots organization dares to uplift the most impoverished and disenfranchised communities. Its landmark achievement lies in its audacity and tenacity. Waiyaki, the CEO, emphasizes that VR is for everyone, encapsulated in their trademark phrase, “VR is for eVRyone.”
Thomas Nickel, a co-founder, brings a unique perspective on foreign policy, deeply rooted in his extensive knowledge of Africa. His passion for the organization is evident in his writings, which challenge stereotypes and highlight the potential for change. Waiyaki shares, “My brother Tom Nickel has read more books about Africa than I have. He understands Africa as a concept and a continent, envisioning what our forefathers couldn’t. In a land marred by corruption and gatekeeping, Tom has become a beacon of hope, breaking the stereotypes we held about white Americans.”
But who are the “everyone” they aim to reach?

A documentary by TRT World introduced us to Muchai, a young woman from a humble hut in Kiambu, outside Nairobi. Muchai, the first Mùkùrinù in the metaverse, comes from the Akùrinù religion, which traditionally resists women empowerment, technology, and pharmaceuticals. The term Mùkùrinù itself is a protest against the white missionaries who brought the message of the Messiah to East Africa, meaning “who is the Messiah?”
Muchai has broken these barriers. At the international ImmersiveX Summit, she stood before a metaverse crowd in Engage XR, guiding them through a Google Street View-generated 360 photo sphere of her village. Wearing a Meta Quest 3 in Gatumumu, Kiambu, and supported by a StarLink dish to ensure a stable internet connection, Muchai’s presentation was a stark contrast to her surroundings—a neighborhood of tin houses and dusty roads, where women till the land for food and teenagers face limited educational opportunities.
Despite these challenges, Muchai continues to push forward, demonstrating the potential of VR/XR/AR for her community. Africa VR Campus and Center prides itself on overcoming the hurdles prevalent in this hard-knock continent. Muchai’s journey reflects the social impact of the organization, as she navigates the challenges of life in Africa while making a name for herself in the global web3 community. And she can say she’s the only one who represents her community in the metaverse. This web3 has also been of great financial support to her life, allowing her to learn and earn simultaneously.

Africa VR Campus and Center’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and the transformative power of technology. It shows that with determination and the right support, even the most marginalized communities can achieve greatness.

Most organizations have learned the power of using photos that offer no stories behind them. These photos are taken in flashy seminars and workshops of people wearing VR devices who, when asked what VR is a few minutes later, cannot offer a concrete explanation. “We find these organizations as hindrances to VR uptake by institutions, and they continue to create a confusing cloud over this tech,” says Karanja, a new student at Africa VR Campus.
Africa VR Campus and Center board members admit that the Campus has had numerous interviews in summits held in Nairobi, which have never seen the light of day. The keepers of those interviews fear that if they do, what Africa VR Campus and Center has accomplished with $200 is the equivalent of their organizations’ $10,000 funding. There’s fear, of course, because they don’t want their funders to see the corruption behind these inequities, and they fear that the achievements made by Africa VR Campus and Center will overshadow their own.

Nevertheless, the efforts made by Africa VR Campus and Center cannot be kept in a lid. And day by day, explosive discoveries are been made by XR visionaries who are placing Africa VR Campus in its rightful place.

There are many firsts that Africa VR Campus and Center has achieved. Its founder, Teacher Paul Simon Waiyaki, was the only known African metaverse participant from Africa back in 2017, as evidenced by the pioneer users of VR. Waiyaki himself started using VR actively in 2016 and began hosting weekly metaverse events collaboratively with co-founder Tom Nickel. Africa VR Campus and Center became the only organization in Africa that did it, and they still do. Every Thursday in Engage XR, Waiyaki hosts tens of global participants together with his students in a metaverse space that, according to him, looks like the coastal beach of Mombasa.
The metaverse space features a banner with logos of all the organizations and institutions that work with the Campus, most of them from the United States and Canada, with some from Europe, Asia, and Australia. “We did this collaborative event with Paul, and he even brought his son along,” says Nora from South Korea.
All the students from Africa VR Campus and Center represent a first from their communities. They were also the first from Africa to receive a metaverse award in the metaverse. “It’s because many organizations that work with VR talk about it in Zoom meetings or physical meetings instead of doing it in VR. We work with Africa VR Campus because they’re not afraid of doing VR presentations,” says Thomas Zorbach, head of ImmersiveX.
“It is growing up in rural areas and becoming leaders in an industry only led by degree and PhD holders everywhere else. I went to the most rural schools here in Nakuru and Kiambu, Kenya, and to become a co-founder of such a globally successful organization based in rural Kenya is just an amazing concept for us. It’s the best thing about Africa VR Campus. It seeks the poorest neighborhoods, the poorest families, and supports its children,” says Diana Njeri, a co-founder of Africa VR Campus and Center, who heads the young women digital and socio-economic programs.

“I believe in the future and in the path we are on. Along the path lie fruit trees that are being planted. And our local youth have started eating the fruits of these trees. We are learning together as we go, and we are happy to call this home. Two of our students are now in the UK, lucky to get a lifetime scholarship. We are so happy and proud of the love and passion that our global friends have shown us. We had no idea it would turn out like this,” Diana concludes.

Empowering Africa’s Youth Through Virtual Reality: The Vision of Africa VR Campus and Center

In the heart of Africa, a revolution is taking place. It’s not a political upheaval or a social movement, but a technological renaissance spearheaded by the Africa VR Campus and Center. Founded by Teacher Paul Simon Waiyaki wa Hinga, this innovative initiative is transforming the landscape of education and empowerment for Africa’s youth, particularly through programs like the XR Girls Africa Program.

The Genesis of Africa VR Campus and Center

Teacher Paul Simon Waiyaki, a visionary leader and the first African to host a live VR event from Africa, established the Africa VR Campus and Center with a mission to integrate Virtual Reality (VR), Extended Reality (XR), and Augmented Reality (AR) into the educational fabric of Africa. His journey began with a simple yet profound realization: the potential of VR to revolutionize education and provide unprecedented opportunities for young Africans.

The center operates with a dual focus: creating locally relevant VR/XR/AR content and building a network of young Africans committed to social justice and sustainability in the metaverse. This approach not only equips students with cutting-edge technological skills but also instills in them a sense of responsibility towards their communities and the world at large.

Youth Programs: A Gateway to the Future

One of the standout initiatives of the Africa VR Campus and Center is its youth programs, designed to bridge the digital divide and empower the next generation of African leaders. Among these, the XR Girls Africa Program shines brightly.

The XR Girls Africa Program

The XR Girls Africa Program is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at young women who have recently completed high school. Many of these girls had little to no prior experience with technology. Through this program, they receive comprehensive training in VR, XR, and AR technologies, transforming them from novices to tech-savvy innovators.

The program’s impact is profound. Participants have gone on to win international accolades, such as the Social Impact category in global competitions, showcasing their projects and ideas in the metaverse. This not only boosts their confidence but also positions them as role models for other young women across the continent.

Weekly Metaverse Events

A unique aspect of the XR Girls Africa Program is its emphasis on community and continuous learning. Every Thursday, the program hosts a metaverse podcast, the only weekly African metaverse event in the world. These events provide a platform for participants to share their experiences, learn from experts, and connect with a global audience.

Broader Impact and Future Aspirations

The Africa VR Campus and Center’s influence extends beyond individual programs. By introducing VR as a learning tool in under-resourced high schools, the center is transforming educational experiences, particularly in the sciences. For instance, students can now explore complex biological processes through immersive VR simulations, making subjects like biology more accessible and engaging.

Moreover, the center’s initiatives align with broader goals such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By empowering young Africans with technological skills and a global perspective, the Africa VR Campus and Center is contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future.

Conclusion

The Africa VR Campus and Center is more than just an educational institution; it’s a beacon of hope and innovation for Africa’s youth. Through programs like the XR Girls Africa Program, it is breaking down barriers, fostering inclusivity, and equipping the next generation with the tools they need to shape their destinies. As Teacher Paul Waiyaki aptly puts it, when there’s no more land to inherit, the Gen Z should ask, “where’s our land?” and when there’s no employment, they should ask, “where’s the money gone?”

In the metaverse and beyond, the Africa VR Campus and Center is ensuring that Africa’s youth not only have a seat at the table but are also leading the conversation.

Meet the team every week on Thursdays in EngageXR at 10pm Nairobi, or in BanterVR every Wednesday at 3pm Nairobi.

1: Africa VR Campus and Center 2: Paul Mwithiga — CEO & Founder | Africa VR Campus and Center 3: Our XR Girls Africa Metaverse Podcast launch — YouTube

It’s about 12,000 kilometers (7500 miles) from Washington, D.C., to Nairobi, Kenya but the two capitals might be closer than they seem.

Both countries broke away from the U.K., violently. Nevertheless, the U.K. is still deeply involved in both countries economically, culturally and militarily.

On Wednesday, January 6, 2021 rioters attacked the United States Congress, forcing legislators to flee as they were voting on an important measure. FBI Director Chris Wray referred to the attack as “domestic terrorism” in congressional testimony.

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024 rioters attacked the Kenyan Parliament, forcing legislators to flee as they were voting on an important measure. The President of Kenya, William Ruto, has referred to the rioters as terrorists.

At this time, no one knows if there will be further riots in Kenya. The same could easily be said about the United States.

Resistance

The term ‘resistance,’ when used politically, usually means resistance to authority. In both Kenya and the United States today, the term might be better understood as resistance by established interests to change.

The high degree of polarization is the U.S. is the result of different responses to the changing face of the nation. Roughly half the country embraces new demographics and new values to a greater or lesser extent, while the other half regards people and practices that are different from what they are used to as an existential threat to be feared and expelled. Political leaders and the corporate interests they represent use those fears to resist any changes that would diminish their power or their ability to extend their power further.

Young People Participating

In September, 2022, William Ruto became Kenya’s fifth President and first one not to be from one of Kenya’s prominent families. He was born in a rural village and has often spoken about selling chickens and peanuts to make ends meet when he was growing up. He campaigned as a force for change and young people provided the crucial votes he needed to win a very close election.

Young voters also played a crucial role in the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, especially in key battleground states like Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Arizona, where they supported Joe Biden by substantial margins.

Those young voters, in both countries, are now deeply disillusioned. They are angry that promised changes have not occurred and they are lashing out wherever they can, to whomever they can. In the U.S., many former pro-Biden content creators on TikTok have posted anti-Biden content, amassing over 100 million views. In Kenya, they are marching in the streets.

Can national leaders who court young voters promising change actually deliver? What if they don’t? Will young people simply give up and drop out or will the situation become violent, more violent than it already has?

View from Nairobi

As a community leader and someone who works closely with young people in Kenya, I am grateful that they care about change and I understand why they are disillusioned. I am disillusioned. I have been supporting greater opportunity for everyone in Kenya, not just a few wealthy families, my entire adult life. I am frustrated and angry, so I understand why the young people are.

I have also seen politicians in action too many times and I have learned. The good energy and good intentions of young people can be turned against its stated goals and best interests. I believe this is what has happened to help bring about the attack on the Parliament Building.

William Ruto has a difficult task made all the more difficult by the entrenched forces actively working against him. Since taking office, his actions in education, road construction, debt stabilization and food security are major accomplishments. Conditions have improved in many areas.

But young people can be impatient and their impatience can be used to stoke anger and direct the anger to the most obvious targets — the government. I see why people have acted this why and I know it has to stop. It will. Then we can go back to the real work

Africa VR Campus and Center

To strike a positive tone in confusing times, some projects in Kenya have tried to help bring about change by engaging the youth and challenging them to grow beyond the stereotypical views that are projected towards them. Africa VR Campus and Center is one of them.

People often speak of empowering young people with tech skills. That is not enough. To really learn about virtual spaces, young people need to create social spaces that are accessible by guests from across the world. Then they need to narrate their own stories, about their own lives.

Africa VR Campus and Center takes tech to the parts of Kenya that are outside the special enclaves, bridging the digital divide. Our students have to be committed to themselves and their learning. That is the only fee and it is a significant one for young people who have never had any economic advantages. When they are willing to pay it, they don’t just learn about tech. They learn about taking care of themselves and thinking about things critically. They learn that they ,matter.

Of course, this model challenges dependency on external aid and encourages self-reliance. It sets an example for other initiatives seeking sustainable solutions. By creating MetaVerse spaces, it becomes a megaphone for Africa’s stories.

“Diana and Paul and everyone in Africa VR Campus and Center actually use the MetaVerse to tell about their lives in Africa and you can be right there with them. They touch people all over the world, with almost no money, because they do everything themselves,” stated Thomas Nickel, Ph.D., learning technologies expert and Africa VR Campus & Center Board member. “The perfect opportunity time is right now, when a small project can still have a big impact, like Africa VR is already having.”

This empowerment can lead to increased civic engagement and activism in a more refined and pure from political compromise leading the youth to a more preferable environment that celebrates their leadership and socio-political cues.

“I love it when our students are seated in spaces they themselves host with folks from as far as Fiji, and with people with such a dynamic background, like delegates from the United Nations to share their stories and to forge a different path in their lives.”, Paul Simon Waiyaki who is The Founder of Africa VR Campus excitedly explains.

Big corporations often view Africa as a new frontier for digital colonization. However, the Africa VR Campus and Center disrupts this narrative. By teaching VR, XR, AR, and emerging technologies, it equips students to participate actively in the digital landscape. This knowledge can help counter external dominance and promote local innovation.

As students learn filmmaking, video editing, and photography, they gain tools for advocacy. They can document social issues, share narratives, and influence public opinion. The center indirectly contributes to political discourse and awareness.

In summary, the Africa VR Campus and Center and other projects growing slowly all over the continent not only impart technical skills but also catalyzes socio-political change. The impact extends far beyond education, shaping a future where African voices are amplified, independence is celebrated, and collaboration drives progress.

“it is the smiles, laughs and tears that our Africa VR Campus and Center bring in our MetaVerse spaces that opens the world for them. A world that is now willing to listen. I see a bright future ahead for the vision we have established there.” Diana Njeri Maina, an Associate Director of Africa VR Campus and Center concluded.

Meet the Africa VR Campus and Center Team and Students every Thursday in EngageXR at 10PM for a MetaVerse interaction, or contact them on www.africavr.org

This article was co-authored by Tom Nickel Phd, Co-Founder of Africa VR Campus and Center, and Teacher Paul Simon Waiyaki, CEO, Africa VR Campus and Center.

Where history intertwines with power struggles, hidden agreements, and the quest for true independence.
As African nations celebrated their hard-fought independence, a veil of secrecy shrouded the true nature of their newfound sovereignty. Behind the scenes, colonial powers maintained a tight grip on their former colonies, orchestrating a delicate dance of influence and control. It was a mirage of Independence.

Most post-independence leaders were not true liberators but rather handpicked figures — puppet kings — aligned with the interests of their former colonial masters. These stooges safeguarded economic profits, ensuring that exploitative systems persisted even after the flags changed.
Take Kenya and other agricultural hotbeds in Africa, for instance. Farmers toiled the soil, growing cash crops like coffee and tea. Yet, their choices were not their own; they were dictated by the whims of Queen Elizabeth and her brunch preferences. The profits rarely trickled down to
the farmers, lost in treasuries and cooperatives.
Once a year, farmers receive paltry bonuses, enticing them with imported drinks at local pubs. But these fleeting moments of celebration leave them cash-strapped, perpetuating a cycle of servitude. The queen’s “anno horribilis” pales in comparison to the perpetual hardships faced by
these farmers.

The elite struck Faustian bargains with colonial powers, securing their interests. Offshore accounts and hidden wealth became their secret weapons. Meanwhile, the masses remained in the dark, unaware of the offshore maneuvers that perpetuated their suffering.

The Awakening

Technology shattered the darkness. Young Africans, armed with information from WikiLeaks and Pandora Papers, began questioning the status quo. The Arab Spring’s echoes reverberated across Francophone and Anglophone countries, igniting a new uprising.
The current stir in Kenya isn’t merely about President Ruto; it’s the eruption of years of oppression. The struggle for true independence continues, fueled by whistleblowers, writers, and critics — the unsung heroes of Africa’s neo-freedom movement.

In this unfolding drama, Africa’s destiny hangs in the balance. The mirage of independence dissipates, revealing a complex web of power, sacrifice, and hidden truths. In the annals of African history, moments of power transition have often been pivotal, shaping the trajectory of nations. Let’s explore three distinct narratives that underscore the evolution of
leadership on the continent.

Kenya’s independence struggle was marked by courageous freedom fighters who resisted colonial rule. However, as power changed hands, the narrative shifted. The new leaders, including Jomo Kenyatta, labeled these heroes as “terrorists.” Why? Because their legacy posed a threat to the established order. The economic dynamics were equally complex. Valuable
resources like tea, coffee, and minerals flowed from African countries to the West, yet the resulting GDP didn’t benefit the masses but the few elites and their western friends. The youth now demand accountability, signaling an end to the old ways.

William Ruto, Kenya’s current president, defies the traditional elite mold. His rise challenges tribal voting patterns and rejects the status quo. His journey from self-made businessman to head of state reflects a broader shift away from entrenched norms. Central Kenya, once a stronghold
of the former president, witnessed voters defying expectations. Even within his own constituency and polling station, the tide turned — a testament to changing aspirations.

In Burkina Faso, a land also known as the Land of Upright Men, President Traore stands out. His military background and unpretentious style defy convention. Riding the same rugged land rover he used before, Traore sends a clear message: “France, keep away”. No Rolex watches or
tuxedos adorn him; just the uniform of a man committed to breaking free from colonial legacies.

Since Nelson Mandela’s historic deal with colonialists, the ANC has led South Africa. But change is afoot. For the first time, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by the young and fiery Julius Malema, are shaking the political landscape. Mandela’s legacy endures, but the ANC’s dominance faces a new reality — one where youth and dissent reshape the political landscape.

In this era of transformation, African leadership grapples with its past, embraces innovation, and navigates uncharted waters. Empowering Africa’s Youth: The Metaverse Revolution Africa’s young generation finds itself at a critical juncture — one that transcends the boundaries
of history and demands a seat at the table where destiny is shaped. Unlike their predecessors, who were excluded from colonial agreements, today’s youth are asking fundamental questions:
“Where is our land?” and “Where has the money gone?”

These seemingly straightforward questions defy easy solutions. Governments often respond with intricate explanations, but the truth lies in the basics. If there isn’t enough money to pay teachers and doctors, create jobs, or provide land to the landless, then extravagant government spending on luxury SUVs and opulent palaces becomes indefensible.

The Africa VR Campus and Center: A Metaverse Beacon

Amidst this backdrop, the Africa VR Campus and Center emerges as a beacon of hope. Empowering young students with digital and technological skills, it creates MetaVerse spaces — digital megaphones through which Africa’s stories can be amplified. These spaces challenge elitism and provide a platform for revolutions. These Revolutions will not be televised
but will certainly be “Metavised.”

The impact extends beyond politics. Big corporations view Africa as a new frontier for digital colonization. However, the Africa VR Campus and Center stands out. It pioneers tech education in rural Africa, teaching VR/XR/AR and emerging technologies without charging students a
dime. Moreover, it doesn’t stop at education; it provides financial opportunities, empowering students to say, “I can buy this for myself or my family.”
Students learn MetaVerse filmmaking, photogrammetry, video editing, photography, and even driving. Remarkably, the Africa VR Campus and Center achieves all this without grants or sponsors. Its passionate board members uplift African youth, envisioning a future where they
stand shoulder-to-shoulder with tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Meta. Their message is clear: collaborate or step aside.

A Call to Shut down Misrepresentation

And to that guy in London speaking on behalf of Africa? Tell him to listen. If Africa can speak in the MetaVerse, it can certainly address the BBC via Zoom. No longer victims of colonization, this generation fights for its voice — politically, socially, financially, and digitally. Africa speaks
for itself.

Africa VR Campus and Center’s impact is undeniable.

We let the MetaVerse be our canvas for change!

****************************************************************************

Waiyaki wa Hinga is a virtual reality enthusiast and the first African in the MetaVerse. He pioneered the hosting of weekly Metaverse events live from Africa in 2019 through AltSpaceVR. He continues to host weekly events in platforms such as EngageXR, Banter, and Horizon WorkRooms. The Africa VR Campus and Center has trained over three thousand individuals in the metaverse ecosystem at no cost. For more information, visit www.africavr.org and follow us on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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Today at 10pm Nairobi
7pm London
22nd February 2024

If I know a song of Africa, of the giraffe and the African new moon lying on her back, of the plows in the fields and the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers, does Africa know a song of me? Will the air over the plain quiver with a color that I have had on, or the children invent a game in which my name is, or the full moon throw a shadow over the gravel of the drive that was like me, or will the eagles of the Ngong Hills look out for me?

AFRICA VR CAMPUS & CENTER
The only African Weekly MetaVerse Event.
Every Thursday at 10pm Nairobi.

On ENGAGE XR (for Mobile, Android and iOS, PC and VR devices)
https://engagevr.io/choose-platform-download/

An event by The Africa VR Campus and Center dwelling on holding human to human dialogues on all issues Africa. Culture, Arts, Music, History, etc

#VR #XR #metaverse #virtualreality

Hosted By Waiyaki, The first African in The MetaVerse
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tr-pau#l-simon-waiyaki-135b54172?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

(paulsimonkenya@gmail.com)
(africavr@africavr.org)
www.africavr.org

#vr
#metaverse
#VirtualTour
#virtualreality
#virtualrealityexperience

https://youtube.com/@AfricaVRCampusandCenter?si=88Oef0fgbi2MvkZD

Read stories from Waiyaki wa Hinga on Medium: https://medium.com/@paulsimonkenya

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Africa VR Campus and Center
VR is for eVRyone
www.africavr.org

When I wore VR for the first time in 2016, it was on a Samsung gear VR.
It made me the first African in the MetaVerse. I had bought the device from the United Kingdom, because I wanted to experience being in space, a lost boyhood dream of becoming an astronaut.
I watched video after video of Space, planets and The ISS on YouTube VR. And that was all I knew VR could offer. Immersive videos.
And then I stumbled on Vtime, my first Social VR App. Infact, the first time I logged in, it didn’t occur to me that the “cartoons” I saw were actually people communicating. And I appeared to them in the same cartoon format.
I had stumbled on Social MetaVerse. And I didn’t know I was the first African around.
Then came AltSpaceVR, and unlike Vtime, there were events, and i could also schedule one. I scheduled the first MetaVerse Events from Africa that ranged from Culture, Art, Social issues, History and politics. People loved hearing directly from Africa, and we learnt then how hungry the world was of genuine African stories. We could be tens of people in a room, unlike Vtime’s only four. Without discrimination, I could also attend any event of my choice, irregardless of where it was hosted from in the world.
My mind was racing. Because I was still the only African around.
I needed to do something about the vacuum. But I only had one Samsung Gear VR headset, and the phone would unusably get hot after 30min. Not mentioning the speed by which the battery was draining.
My VR for social good then, started off at a very modest start, as an educator in Kenya, I would take my projector or big screen TV, and my Samsung gear VR and visit high schools for science outreach. Teaching has always been my passion. The kids would love it when they saw biological videos on TV, but would be more amazed to see a VR animation tour of the human body.
The things that they saw would invent new scientific and engineering minds among the kids, all because of this higher touch of VR. Their imaginations were better built.
Back in the Social MetaVerse, I met others, who lived far from the African Continent, but who were hungry to connect with the continent through different paths than the laid down corporate business to business relationships. They also wanted to do projects at a social level for the continent. With these networks, we formed the Africa VR Campus and Center, and our primary goal was VR for social good throughout the continent.
Projects were showcased in VR, some got funding, funding that made and continues to create social change in villages around me, and in people around me. The Africa around me is pulsating to the good that has come from VR.

When a Community leader comes up with a project, our first instinct is how we can present it in the metaverse. These range from many issues in society, issues that fall under the Sustainable Development Goals. We support such leaders with VR headsets and training on how to use the headsets and to align this new digital platform to their projects. Some of these leaders have grown big enough to be invited to international silicon Valleys and international concept competitions and presentations.
VR for Social good.

Infact, I didn’t know there was a term like VR for social good until I had heard from an employee of Meta, and I was proud to have pioneered the paths in our own little way.
An African girl is in high school. A school without a microscope. She doesn’t usually have enough bus fare to commute to school, or a uniform that’s not torn to wear.
Sometimes, shoes are a luxury that is not available. At the school, where no syllabus is taught to prepare her for the world out there, she learns no basic skills to formulate a career or a profession. The teachers themselves are also out of steam, for teaching them with never enough resources in very underdeveloped schools with leaking roofs.

The only future for them is automatically early marriages for those who are lucky, and early pregnancies for the unlucky ones. Lives that thrusts them in worlds of crime, prostitution and drugs.
When we show up with Meta Quests headsets on our village VR/XR/AR Outreach, the reception we get is usually one of meeting a Wizard of Oz, to these kids, these are some strange devices, never heard of, leave alone seen, in these villages.
On such Outreach Programs, we pull a few girls and dedicate them to a VR/XR/AR learning syllabus, and the learning is also mixed with emerging tech skills and use.

We do this for free for everyone, except the rich local private schools. They not only learn how to switch a Quest on and off, but to create a metaverse event and to be vocal on the issues around them on MetaVerse events, using it as a digital megaphone to the ignorant world around them. They now know the difference between DALL-E and Bard. They know what Augmented Reality is and can tell you a thing or two about the Development of VR. In their spare time, they discuss whether Meta or MicroSoft knows the tail’s end of what Social VR is.
Some of these girls have this year competed against girls from across developed countries they’ve only heard of. USA, UK, Europe. In the Awarding ceremony, the first group of African girls in the metaverse, as a team, won the best social impact award. Some of these girls are here with us today. The vices that are common around them, are now vague to them. They wake up in the morning and learn more, and they become beacons of change to other girls around them. Other girls who now follow them to their class. There is an air of change in the village.

VR for social good.
VR for social good, because lives have been changed.
The girls have held events in the MetaVerse that got them donations. Donations that have trickled down to their families, and onto their lives.
Their pictures have been viewed in conference rooms of The United Nations and some of them will be applying for scholarships. You will not be meeting these girls in the MetaVerse in the future, the fact that they’re here now, having powered up their own donated devices and been able to log in here onto this event, means they will be hooking up on LinkedIn with builders to ask them for a quotation on a metaverse build project for their brand companies that they’re looking to have represented in the MetaVerse. They will be future game changers in the MetaVerse economies, and many more boys and girls will be coming. And the fact that they are barely out of High School and are now been invited to Local Universities to teach VR and the MetaVerse is the epitome of our Organization’s VR for social good programs. They are also in the process of documenting their lives in 360 Video formats that will put their Metaverse Audience right into their lives and their experiences and will start to hold Weekly Metaverse events on December 20 on ENGAGE XR, using their MetaVerse self taught Journalism skills, also a first in Africa and the world for such an age level of expertise in the MetaVerse.

We are breaking all ceilings and stereotypes. We are not kidding around. There is a lot of work to be done. We are standing up strongly for this no matter what.
VR has to become a platform for social good.
VR for social good doesn’t stop there for us. We put a PayPal donation link on one of our MetaVerse worlds and now streams of donations have come to Children Homes and Orphans in our communities. Africa VR Campus and Center side Organization for helping children in need now does three to four projects in a year. Some of the people who donate don’t want to just donate, they also want to come to Africa and have a social experience for themselves as they meet the people.
VR for social good can also give birth to physical and direct social good impacting directly on communities.

Africa sometimes is under-represented in many forums.
Through many VR events attendance and giving my views and opinions, I am now part of many weekly roundtables, including a weekly gathering of Space Industry enthusiasts, and MetaVerse Summits, both virtually like today, and physical ones that are now held here in Africa.
I was the first Keynote speaker of the first Africa Metaverse Summit that just concluded last month.

We’re not just proud of what we have achieved, but continue to push the limits of what a continent can achieve with passionate veterans in this world’s new format of next gen connection.

Our Associate Director and Co-Founder Tom Nickel, continues to host MetaVerse events that dwells on loss, impermanence and mortality. People gather in those weekly metaverse events and their lives are changed. They’re able to deal with difficult life situations because of a metaverse space and gathering. Some had to deal with been suicidal, others with dying spouses and parents, others with loss of employment and the period that the world recently went through of the high rate of mortalities under the covid pandemic. Lives have been saved this way. People log in these events not expecting anything more than just sharing their lives, and VR provides a secure fence for when they do. I myself shared an emotional baggage i had carried since 2014 after my sister had died in my arms. These communities have now grown into VR Apps and early this year, Tripp was selected as one of the best Apps in VR. Tripp is not just a Meditation App, but also helps to host some of these Social Gatherings where they continue to talk about issues challenging individuals from different challenging backgrounds.

We also continue to host weekly metaverse events that are hosted live from Africa by Africans, another record of our VR organization. These events will now be becoming a hybrid of MetaVerse/Zoom/ Podcasts where locals here in Africa who don’t have headsets will be calling in live on their phones into these MetaVerse events. This will be a new way to meet Africa and to hear about African issues in an angle not even Fox NEWS or CNN can match up to.
We have had TV interviews, and Universities like Harvard and Mercer, in USA, Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology and Agriculture, Kenya College of Accountancy Technology Department and others have given us invitations to lectures because of these VR for Social Good MetaVerse Projects and Programmes.

Last year, Microsoft ran a LGBTQ support campaign event in VR, and I got to be one of the support crew. The LGBTQ issue itself has been a sensitive topic in my country of Kenya and its region of East Africa.
We will push for the inclusion of all communities, from all diversities.
The creators of these devices I’m sure, didn’t expect VR to be used this way. To change the world. But Humans are social animals. Maybe it was only to be a Gaming device, I mean, many people stereotype it that way.
But If a significant percentage of VR users, including some like ourselves, want to use it for social development, for social good, and for social change, I find it fortunate that we exist in this space, and that we are the driving force behind social change in this new and next-gen platform.

You can read more of this from our blog profile, Waiyaki wa Hinga on Medium. And find us every week in the metaverse on ENGAGE XR every Thursday at 10pm East Africa Time, and on the same platform on Wednesday at 5am East Africa Time. You can also find Africa VR Campus and Center on YouTube and FaceBook.

Paul Simon Waiyaki wa Mwithiga read this article at the ImmersiveX Metaverse Summit on Remio VR App on 29th November 2023 where he was invited to speak on VR for Social Change.

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