On Sunday, Derby’s Community Room at Churchside Walk came alive with energy, creativity, and community spirit as TES House officially launched its highly anticipated Code and Culture Initiative, a bold new program blending Yoruba language learning with introductory coding workshops for children aged 6 to 14.
A Vision for Culture and Digital Empowerment
At TES House, we believe that our children’s futures are brighter when their roots are stronger. This initiative was designed to help young people explore their cultural identity while developing the digital skills they’ll need for the future.
With support from the National Lottery Community Fund, this first session was more than just a workshop; it was the beginning of a community movement focused on representation, empowerment, and education.
The Day in Action
The day kicked off with Yoruba language sessions, where the children, some encountering the language for the first time, learned greetings, simple phrases, and cultural expressions that connected them to their heritage.
Then came the much-anticipated coding session, where the children were introduced to HTML, learning how web pages are built, experimenting with tags, and writing their first lines of code.
Leading this part of the program was Esther Ayanbade, Yoruba Instructor, and Akindayo Akindolani led the Yoruba Initiatives, while Joseph Origbo, TES House Director and Programme Lead for the initiative, alongside Omolara Oladipupo, one of the most inspiring female coders in the East Midlands, led the tech initiatives.
Together, we created a fun, engaging learning space where every child felt seen and empowered.
“For many of these children, this was their first time writing code, and they embraced it with so much excitement and curiosity,” said Joseph Origbo.
The Power of Representation
Omolara Oladipupo’s presence was especially impactful for the girls in attendance, who saw in her a role model, a living example of how women, especially Black women, can lead and thrive in technology.
The day wasn’t just about learning syntax or coding structure; it was about showing these young learners that they belong in tech spaces, that their voices matter, and that they can dream big.
Community Mentors Making a Difference
In addition to Esther, Akindayo Joseph, and Omolara, the event was powered by a team of dedicated mentors and tech professionals who generously volunteered their time to share their journeys in the tech industry.
They spoke about their paths, from first learning to code, to breaking into tech careers, to navigating challenges as Black professionals in the industry.
“The children left buzzing with ideas and possibilities,” said one mentor. “Many even returned after the session just to personally say ‘thank you’ to their mentors for making the day so special.”
More Than Just a One-Off Event
This is not the end, it’s just the beginning. The TES House Code and Culture Initiative will run monthly, with the next session scheduled for the last Sunday of July.
Each month will introduce new coding topics while deepening the Yoruba language immersion and cultural engagement activities.
As the initiative grows, TES House plans to spotlight individual mentors, share community stories, and create pathways for young people to pursue further digital education opportunities.
Thank You to Our Funders
We remain deeply grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for recognizing the value of this work and for supporting our mission to enrich and empower the Black and Minority Ethnic community in the East Midlands.
Get Involved
If you’re a parent interested in registering your child for future sessions or a tech professional who would like to mentor, please reach out to us at 📧 info@teshouse.org 📞 07466 867906
Together, we’re building a generation of culturally grounded, digitally skilled, and globally competitive young people.
