As the world commemorates World Literacy and Education Month in September, Future Nyoni, the reigning Mister Africa International Zimbabwe and a delegate for the upcoming Mister Africa International 2024 competition in Sierra Leone, has shared his views on how Africa can achieve 100% literacy and ensure access to education for everyone.

According to Nyoni, providing internet access to all students across the continent will play a critical role in expanding knowledge and ensuring educational opportunities reach every corner of Africa.

In an exclusive interview, Nyoni explained that his advocacy was inspired by an incident that happened to him during the finals of Mister Africa International 2023. Last year, Nyoni was awarded the 1st runner-up position in the virtual ceremony, but an internet connection issue during the Question and Answer segment dashed his hopes of winning the title.

Nyoni described how his dream of becoming Africa’s king was lost due to a failure to connect online because of weather conditions. Reflecting on the experience, he emphasized how many children across Africa face similar challenges, growing up without reliable internet access, which significantly impacts their education and future prospects.

“The world is controlled by the internet. Whatever you do is influenced by it, which means internet access is a major factor in how education and information are distributed globally,” Nyoni said. “Last year, when I competed for Mister Africa International, I performed well in all areas. However, during the Q&A section, we faced internet connection issues, which became a stumbling block for me. I had to reconnect minutes after every other delegate had finished answering their questions.”

Nyoni further explained that the loss of connection turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It opened his eyes and ears, as well as those of the Mister Africa International management team, to how many African students struggle with communication and completing international board exams that require internet and computer access.

“#TeamFuture had to go back to the drawing board and appreciate the lessons learned during the journey,” he said. “Among these lessons is the fact that the world must adapt to and accept the dominance of the internet, especially in education in Africa.”

Nyoni shared how he imagined himself as a school student sitting for an exam but unable to access questions due to internet challenges, resulting in inevitable failure. He expressed his hope that the difficulties he faced last year would end with his experience and called for global cooperation to ensure that every African child has access to proper education, supported by reliable internet access.

Nyoni also highlighted that internet access is currently one of the most useful communication platforms, but many children in war-torn refugee camps, particularly school-aged children, are unaware of what is happening beyond the camps.

He emphasized the need for Africa to unite, build mobile schools in refugee camps, and provide internet access in those schools. Nyoni was particularly moved by a documentary about children in a refugee camp in the DRC. One child in the camp expressed his desire to return to school to become a leader and bring peace to the world, while another child shared fears about the new disease, MPOX, with little understanding of its origins. Nyoni pointed out that, had these children had access to the internet and education, they might have known more about the disease.

Mister Africa International Zimbabwe is currently running a charity and community campaign using the hashtag #TogetherWeCan. Nyoni explained that the campaign aims to bring people together to create a positive environment across the continent.

Among the projects included in the campaign, aside from the internet project, are efforts to build temporary mobile classrooms in war-torn refugee camps in countries like the DRC, Mozambique, and Sudan, where tens of thousands of children are displaced by ongoing conflicts. Additionally, the campaign focuses on areas in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi, where schools have been destroyed by floods.

Nyoni expressed his intention to make this project a success by working closely with NGOs, governments from various countries, and stakeholders in the corporate world.