Onja

Onja is a social enterprise dedicated to transforming the lives of underprivileged youth in Madagascar by training them to become world-class software developers. The organization identifies the brightest students who cannot afford to continue their education and enrolls them in a rigorous two-and-a-half-year training program focused on advanced English language and software development skills, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, React Native, and TypeScript. Onja’s first cohort, known as ‘Wave 1’, consists of nineteen graduates who now work remotely for partner companies in Europe and the US, representing the top 1% of their peers in Madagascar and local regions. The developers work from a co-working space in Madagascar equipped with fibre internet, backup connections, office space, call rooms, and computers, and are available in European and US East Coast time zones. Onja aims to enroll 360 new students over the next four years, with 65% of the developers being bright young women. The organization offers affordable access to remote talent, a risk-free 3-month trial with a 7-day notice period, and helps create a diverse workforce. Onja operates with a sustainable, self-funding model but also uses donations to accelerate growth. As a registered non-profit in New Zealand and Madagascar, Onja empowers young people to become changemakers, improving their lives and those of their families, with many developers sending funds home to support their families and siblings’ education.