A student at the University of California, Berkeley, who is getting her masters in computer science decided to take on a side project during the pandemic lockdown. A full scholarship launched Gloria Tumushabe's engineering and computer science studies at a top U.S. school, but she says too many others in her native Uganda, 14,000 miles away, are left behind.

"I felt like I won the lottery when I got the letter that said I got into Berkeley and that I got a scholarship," Tumushabe said. "I don't think I slept."

In Uganda, 77% of the population is under 25. Opportunities are limited, she said, especially for women. 

"In a lot of homes, it's still very traditional. The woman does more of the housework and the cleaning and all that" she said.

Many of those who do attend school were set back by the pandemic. Martha Atwine is one of them.

"As a girl, I basically had to stay at home and do housework," Atwine said. "That's all I could do in a pandemic."

But a world away, Tumushabe decided to help. 

"I thought maybe this is my moment to actually start teaching and really empower these people to learn computer science," she said.

Tumushabe spread the word back home that she'd teach girls how to write computer code.

"Gloria told me to reach out to other girls that were interested. Very many of my friends were interested, but they didn't have laptops," Atwine said. So, they had to figure out how to get computers. Atwine was able to get a hand-me-down, but spotty Wi-Fi kept some girls away. Tumushabe pitched in there, too.

"I'm so lucky. I have a scholarship that gives me a stipend. So part of my stipend goes towards the girls' internet," Tumushabe said.

A GoFundMe followed.

"Now, instead of teaching one class, we're actually teaching two classes," Tumushabe said.

Her program, called Afro Fem Coders, now includes mentors from Silicon Valley.

"I've been able to create some games and then I've also been able to learn how to make websites," Atwine said.

Those Tumushabe helped in this pandemic year will be applying to U.S. colleges. But her work is not finished — she still has her own studying to do.

"Sometimes it feels like a lot, but I get the satisfaction from watching how much my students have grown... And then I get these phone calls like 'Hey, Gloria, I'm calling you to say thank you.'"

She'll head home to Africa — bringing with her, she hopes, lessons for an entire continent. - ANNA WERNER, CBS News

Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and his Rwandan counterpart Vincent Biruta signed two cooperation agreements in October 2020. Photo Morocco World News

Habib El Malki, the Speaker of Morocco’s House of Representatives, has commended the “good quality” of the bilateral cooperation between Morocco and Rwanda, highlighting the shared pan-African visions of the two African countries.

With pan-African commitment underlying the continental goals of both King Mohammed VI and President Paul Kagame, he explained, Rabat and Kigali have taken steps in recent months and years to deepen their bilateral cooperation on a wide range of “questions of shared interests.”

Malki made the comments on Friday while speaking during a commemorative ceremony at the Rwandan embassy in Rabat. The event was organized to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the end of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. 

In his speech, El Malki hailed the East African country for emerging from the ashes of such a tragic experience to establish itself as an assertive player and an example of development in Africa less than three decades after the genocide. 

He also lauded the values of national reconciliation, coexistence, and tolerance that allowed post-genocide Rwanda to reckon with its past of ethnic cleansing and political violence. 

The Moroccan MP went on to speak at length about the “strong relations” between the two countries and the promising prospects of their evolving, multidimensional partnership. 

For El Malki, King Mohammed VI’s and President Kagame’s resolute commitment to African solidarity and effective South-South cooperation has helped the consolidation of the diplomatic ties between Rabat and Kigali. 

El Malki’s statements come as the Moroccan and Rwandan governments multiply efforts to further their considerably improved relationship.

In August of last year, Rwanda appointed a new ambassador, Zaina Nyiramatama, with the mission of cementing the diplomatic cooperation the two countries have developed since 2007. 

Two months after Nyiramatama’s appointment, Morocco and Rwanda signed two agreements to further their cooperation on peace and security in Africa, South-South diplomacy, food security, sports, sustainable development, and the reform of the African Union (AU).

Morocco has recently signed a similar agreement with Zambia to strengthen ties in fields such as renewable energy, agriculture, infrastructure, training, water, education. Driving the agreement is Morocco’s willingness to help Zambia accomplish its economic and social development goals. - Tamba François Koundouno, Morocco World News