In an industry where access often determines success, one designer is rewriting the rules and creating opportunities where none existed before.
When Moses Amama, a seasoned product designer and community builder, launched Learning With Mo in December 2022, it wasn’t just a passion project. It was a purposeful response to a widespread problem: talented individuals with the drive to succeed in tech but no clear path to get in. With the mentorship landscape often crowded yet shallow, Amama envisioned something deeper and more transformative.
From day one, Learning With Mo stood out for its intentionality. Out of dozens of eager applicants, only a few were selected based not just on skill or portfolio, but on potential, passion, and a willingness to grow. Those chosen embarked on a structured journey of mentorship that combined group learning with tailored one-on-one support. With a custom-built skill evaluation framework, regular coaching, and strategic career mapping, participants weren’t just learning. They were evolving.
“Before joining the program, I had been stuck for over a year, applying endlessly and questioning my path,” shares one participant. “Mo didn’t just teach me design. He helped me believe in my work again. Two months after our sessions, I landed my first design job, and now I’m mentoring others.”
This is the story of many alumni. Some broke into tech for the first time, while others finally stepped into the senior roles they had long been qualified for but hadn’t been able to access. The difference was a mentor who showed up not only with knowledge and frameworks, but with generosity.
Over the past two years, Moses Amama has personally invested in the success of his mentees. He has funded internet access for those facing financial hardship, purchased design courses worth hundreds of dollars, and organized physical workshops that bring remote design principles to life in real-world ways. One standout event was the Remote Usability Testing Workshop held in January 2024, which gave participants a chance to apply their skills in hands-on sessions.
Although the program began with a small group, its influence now spans multiple countries. Moses has hosted career guidance sessions with designers across continents, donated time and resources to leadership development programs, and provided direct coaching that helped over one hundred people land their first design jobs. These outcomes reflect more than just career shifts. They reflect personal transformation and restored confidence.
“Moses Amama has been more than a mentor. He’s a force,” says another mentee. “He made the design world feel less intimidating and more human. His belief in people makes you want to believe in yourself too.”
Today, Learning With Mo is more than a mentorship program. It is a growing community of designers who are landing jobs, thriving in their careers, and paying it forward. The initiative has sparked important conversations about what mentorship should look like in Africa’s design and tech ecosystem. It should be structured, personal, sustainable, and rooted in empathy.
As Moses Amama continues to scale the reach and depth of the program, the results speak for themselves. The careers launched. The voices elevated. The cycle of mentorship now renewed and multiplying.
This is what happens when one person chooses to lead with intention. Learning With Mo is not just a program. It is a movement.
