On a weekday afternoon in Addis Ababa, dozens of young people sit absorbed in their phones—not doomscrolling through endless feeds, but designing graphics, editing videos and submitting assignments. Their classroom is a Telegram channel. Their teacher: Toleha Ahmed, a civil engineer by training and an entrepreneur with a vision.
“To me, the digital world is not just about tools, software or Algorithms,” Toleha says. “It’s about survival and empowerment. If our young people don’t have these skills, they will be left out—not just from jobs, but from participating in the global future itself.”
The seeds of Dinar Technology, the online learning platform he founded, grew out of frustration. As a university student, Toleha says he watched classmates struggle to find internships or jobs because they lacked practical, hands-on skills.
“Formal education gives you theory,” he explains, “but when you go to an interview, the first question is: can you design this, can you edit that? Employers don’t only ask for grades—they also ask for proof. That gap is where so many lose opportunities.”
Instead of accepting the system’s limits, he sought to work around them. With no expensive computer labs, he turned to something most young Ethiopians already use daily: Telegram.
“People already spend hours on their phones,” Toleha says with a smile. “Why not turn that scrolling into a classroom?”
Through Dinar, students receive video lessons via Telegram channels, practice through assignments, and submit projects within 24 hours. Instructors provide feedback, and a peer community offers encouragement.
So far, within less than a year, we have completed eight rounds of training. In total, 197 students have graduated in graphic design, and at the moment additional ones are preparing to graduate. In the eighth round alone, there are 39 students enrolled.
Altogether, including these students, there will be 236 students in graphic design alone. Similarly, 161 students have learned only video editing; right now, in the eighth round there are 28 students, bringing the total to 189.
Toleha stated that these students primarily want this training because it’s an option that can create income and job opportunities.
“As I tried to break into the initial market, I found that various offices and companies are looking for experienced graphic designers to create logos, build different brands, and write advertisements — so they are seeking skilled graphic designers,” He said.
Likewise, He also noted that there is demand for skilled TikTok video editors — professionals who can edit trending videos and easily deliver them to viewers.
“That demand motivates most of the people who study with us.”
The teaching model is as simple as it is radical: a practical course compressed into digestible clips, delivered through a platform that requires only a smart phone and an internet connection.
“I wanted it to be flexible,” Toleha explains. “If someone works during the day, they can learn at night. If someone lives outside the city, they can still participate. No excuses, just access.”
For many students, this approach was their first taste of structured online learning.
SumeyaHidaw, a student who completed the graphics and video editing course, recalls her initial hesitation.
“Before this, I had never taken online classes. Honestly, I was afraid it wouldn’t work, but it turned out to be much better than I expected. We watched lessons on Telegram, completed projects within 24 hours, and sent them in. If we had questions, the instructor was always available. I studied graphics design and video editing, and I gained real knowledge—something I didn’t have before.”
Her words echo Toleha’s insistence that quality doesn’t depend on location or formality. “Education is not about four walls and a blackboard,” he says. “It’s about clarity, structure, and feedback. Once those are there, you can learn anywhere—even on a bus with your headphones in.”
DagimKurabachew, another graduate, works full-time but uses his evenings and weekends to freelance.
“I work during the day, but freelancing requires specific skills, which is why I took the course,” he said. “In my free time, I now design business cards and logos. I’ve already done projects for a coffee shop and other businesses. The training gave me clarity about how design really works, and it’s a very good foundation for anyone who wants to keep advancing.”
For Dagim, the Telegram classroom translated almost immediately into income. “This is the power of digital,” Toleha notes. “One person can learn a skill today and start earning tomorrow. That independence is priceless.”
Of course, the model is not without its challenges. Internet connectivity remains uneven in Ethiopia, and skepticism about online education persists. “Some parents think if their child is learning on a phone, it’s not serious,” Toleha admits. “They say, ‘That’s just social media.’ Convincing them that this is real education is part of the work.”
Students, too, have had to adapt. “Online learning requires discipline,” Toleha stresses. “No one is standing over you. You have to be motivated. We try to support that by setting deadlines, creating group chats for accountability, and reminding students that what they are learning is not abstract—it is directly usable.”
Toleha rejects the idea that Dinar Technology is just about teaching Photoshop or Premiere. “Digital skills are the entry point,” he says, “but what we are really teaching is problem-solving, independence, and confidence. Once a student makes their first logo or edits their first video, they realize: ‘I can do this, I can sell this, I can create something of value.’ That mindset is what changes lives.”
Experts say such initiatives reflect a broader trend. With Ethiopia’s young population and limited formal job creation, digital literacy is becoming both an economic necessity and a cultural shift. Platforms like Dinar are not just closing the skills gap—they are rewriting the script of what education can look like in Africa.
Asked what drives him, Toleha pauses. “I see myself in my students,” he says quietly. “I know what it feels like to have ambition but no tools. I don’t want another generation to be lost because they couldn’t access skills that are available everywhere else in the world.”
As the sun sets over Addis, another wave of students logs into their virtual classroom, headphones on, assignments queued. For them, and for the man who sparked this movement, the message is clear: the future is digital, and it is theirs to claim.
“We are not waiting for someone to build us a university,” Toleha says. “We are building classrooms in every pocket.”
