Helping developers / bootstrappers from disadvantaged backgrounds

Hey guys - been starting to kick around an idea and wanted to get some feedback here.

I’m thinking of building some kind of platform / network / business model / mentorship network / or something to help either developers or bootstrappers (or both) that come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Likely that means people in developing countries that wouldn’t otherwise have access to many opportunities.

I found a great example of this - http://www.andela.com/ - what they do specifically is that they find really smart people in Lagos, Nigeria and train them to be developers and their business model is that they’re basically a staffing company. They seem to be doing amazingly well and doing really awesome work in Nigeria.

That seems like a model that could definitely work in other places (I’m thinking probably latin america as my wife and I both speak spanish).

But I’m also thinking it would be cool to have some kind of a bootstrapper angle on it. Help people to bootstrap their own businesses. I’m not sure how realistic that is since the barrier to entry to bootstrap a business can be pretty flippin hard as compared to getting a job as a developer.

Would appreciate any thoughts, references, or feedback!

You should totally do it. But I’d start smaller. :slightly_smiling:

I like the idea and would love to help out! I’ve lived in Morocco as a student and in South East Asia… I know a lot of talented people all those places! :slightly_smiling:

Thanks man :slight_smile: Yeah I will eventually want to hone in on some initially pretty small and simple goals. I’m thinking that if I go the teaching business route (and not the getting people jobs route), maybe I focus on helping people start ecommerce stores. So basically I would try to be the ecommerce fuel for new stores in latin america.

Thanks @petersuhm - maybe we can chat about it on our call tomorrow :slightly_smiling:

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Thought this may be of interest - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35323122

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