Haystack a Rwandan ed-tech startup is on the verge of expanding its horizon across the African continent after a huge consumption of its online learning content.
Since February 2019, the ed-tech startup has seen not less than 200 learners signed up to its online programme.
The Rwandan startup has moved to neighbouring East African countries like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and now its first West African country, Ghana.
Launched in 2017 by two Canadians Accountants, Pascal Ambrosino and Erin Godard, the two Co-founders in Rwanda has assisted a significant number of clients to solve their accounting challenges.
Fortunately for the two Canadians, they have discovered an opportunity in their quest to solve accounting challenges.
Based on this they launched an innovative training platform, the African Accounting Academy. Today the first set of cohorts from that programme are dispersed across Rwanda working in banks, startups, and other organisations.
“Through our consulting work, we identified a huge gap in the market for skilled accountants, from entry-level to senior roles. Our clients constantly struggled to find qualified staff that could perform the roles they needed,” Ambrosino said.
Moving forward, the two co-founders made a switch from in-person training to Haystack, a full course online to solve the accounting challenge.
“Moving the course online has drastically decreased administration costs, increased our reach significantly, and has allowed us to achieve our mission of delivering high-quality affordable training to the masses,” Ambrosino stressed.
Haystack is on a mission to offer practical training to entry-level accountants. The course delivers interaction that stimulates and simplifies daily accounting tasks.
According to Ambrosino, Haystack courses are not just a set of YouTubes videos for viewing sake but they are courses streamlined to the application of accounting concepts in real life situations.
“Our students are rigorously tested throughout the course ensuring they have what it takes to succeed in an accounting role. Once they graduate from our programme, they become our network of qualified accountants. We then match them with employment opportunities.”
According to accounting bodies in the East Africa region, qualified accountants amounting to an estimated 400,000 are needed in the region.
These required numbers pose a challenge to the accounting bodies, however, the Co-founders believe that the solution to this issue is Haystack.
Featured Image: avadolearning
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