The era92 Story: From the Slums of Uganda to Innovative Tech CEO

In episode 53 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Emanuel Trinity, Founder and CEO of era92 on growing up in the slums of Uganda and escaping extreme poverty and violence through the love of technology.

Trinity is a social entrepreneur from Kampala, Uganda with an incredible an inspiring story.

He grew up in the extreme poverty, lived on the streets, and eventually landed a one year internship with Coca Cola that changed his life and eventually led him to start is own tech firm provided tech services to businesses and in turn helps train and employ the youth of Uganda.

He has a passion for up-skilling the next generation of digital talent in preparation for jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in Uganda.

He is the founder of era92, a youth creative agency, training and employing Uganda’s young adults in DESIGN, ARTS & TECHNOLOGY.

era92 is a social enterprise that partners with businesses to amplify their message & increase sales or donations to have a greater impact on the world while helping them train and employ young adults in Uganda.

Trinity believes we can end youth unemployment in his lifetime, together. That’s why they commit their skills, resources and profits from their services to helping young people in need.

3 in 5 youth in Africa are unemployed and lack skills, Trinity’s mission is to make this statistic irrelevant by implementing technology training pathways for individuals living in extreme poverty in Uganda.

Trinity also believes that the youth of Africa has amazing potential to bring creativity and talent to businesses around the world and plans on making Uganda the next global tech hub for young skilled tech workers.

He is also the co-founder of 92hands a movement that mobilizes young adults across Africa to carry out intensive community services, becoming agents of change in the communities they come from, through educating and empowering the vulnerable people of Uganda.

“As an entrepreneur, I am particularly passionate about sustainable wages for up-and-coming African creatives. I believe the best ideas come from win-win collaborations. Talent is equally distributed but the opportunity is not. I am an opportunity creator, committed to releasing the brilliance of unemployed young people in Africa” Trinity Heavenz.

Interview Transcript

[00:00] Host (Grant Trahant):

What’s up, everybody? This is Grant from Causeartist. Welcome to another episode of the Disruptors for Good podcast. Today, we have a truly incredible story. Our guest is Trinity Heavens, the founder and CEO of era92, a tech company based right outside the slums of Kampala, Uganda. Trinity grew up in extreme poverty in the slums of Kosovo, Uganda, and almost died of starvation before he was even a teenager. His story of how he discovered technology, built a company, and now helps others escape poverty through tech skills training is truly inspiring.

Trinity talks about how he found his way out of a difficult lifestyle, how a computer changed his life, and his journey to working for Coca-Cola, where he gained skills that transformed his career. He eventually returned to the slums to help others learn web development, graphic design, and other tech skills. Together with his team, he built an organization that trains and develops tech workers in Uganda and helps them secure jobs that change their lives.

[05:21] Grant Trahant:

Let’s start by talking about your journey, Trinity. You’ve mentioned before that your upbringing was difficult. How did you go from growing up in the slums to discovering technology and building era92?

[05:21] Emmanuel Trinity:

My journey is deeply rooted in my background. My mom was raped when she was 16, and when she couldn’t find my father, her parents refused to raise me. So, my mom had to move from the village to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Because we had no money, we ended up in one of the worst slums, called Kosovo.

My mom worked hard to get me into school. After raising money for two years, she enrolled me in a school she heard about on the radio. It turned out to be a school for neglected street children, and it was a terrible place. My first day of school, my shoes were stolen. The conditions were so bad that some of the boys I started school with died that year.

By the time my mom took me home from the school, I had become malnourished and unrecognizable. I couldn’t fit in at home anymore, so I ran away and joined a street gang. By the age of 13, I had already seen death up close, as one of our gang members was killed during a robbery. This was a turning point for me.

A local pastor and some missionaries found me hiding and took me to a clinic. They saved my life and offered to sponsor me to go to school. One of the most important things they gave me, though, was a computer. I started playing around with programs like Movie Maker and CorelDRAW, and that sparked my passion for technology. At 17, I got an internship with Coca-Cola, which completely changed my life.

[19:49] Grant Trahant:

What was it like when you first got that computer? How did you teach yourself tech skills?

[19:49] Emmanuel Trinity:

The first programs I fell in love with were CorelDRAW, Movie Maker, and WordArt. I spent so much time creating and editing things in Movie Maker. That curiosity to learn kept growing, and I started designing newsletters and PowerPoint presentations for my church. Having that computer changed everything for me. I learned as much as I could by exploring and experimenting on my own.

[21:19] Grant Trahant:

At what point did you decide to create a company and start helping others learn these tech skills?

[21:19] Emmanuel Trinity:

I was 19 when I made that decision, but it took me years to figure out the process of running a company. I initially started an NGO called 92hands, which is still running today, but I realized I didn’t want to rely on charity alone. I wanted to help people work their way out of poverty by giving them skills and opportunities, just like Coca-Cola had done for me. So, I focused on building a business that empowers people through technology.

One of the first people I helped was Megan. She came from a tough situation, with her father bedridden after an accident. She was under pressure to sell her body to support her family, but I offered her training instead. In just four months, Megan learned how to design websites, and by the end of the training, she was creating websites on her own. Megan’s transformation inspired me to continue helping others. Today, we’ve trained over 500 young people from the slums.

[27:05] Grant Trahant:

What has the impact been on the community? How has your work changed Kosovo?

[27:05] Emmanuel Trinity:

The impact has been profound. We’ve trained over 500 students from Kosovo through our Elevate Programme, which focuses on developing their skills in areas like web design, graphic design, software development, and filmmaking. Most of the students we train have never even touched a computer before. Our offices are located near the slums, and when students come in, we want them to feel like they’re entering a different world. This helps shift their mindset from one of poverty to one of possibility.

After six months of training, we place them in apprenticeships. About 70% of them are retained by the companies they apprentice with. We focus on teaching them not just tech skills, but also character—showing them how to create value in an organization by solving problems. For those who excel, we retain them at era92.

[29:35] Grant Trahant:

How do you select the students for your programme? Do they apply online or come to your office? What’s the training process like?

[29:35] Emmanuel Trinity:

We work closely with the community and 92hands to identify young people with potential. We don’t just train anyone; we try to match students with their passions. Once they’re selected, they go through a three-week discovery phase, where we expose them to different areas like graphic design, web development, and filmmaking. After that, they choose a specific path, and they spend six months learning that skill. After six months, they enter an apprenticeship, and that’s where we see the real transformation happen.

[34:03] Grant Trahant:

How has internet access been in Uganda? Has it improved over time?

[38:17] Emmanuel Trinity:

Yes, it has improved significantly. International companies like Vodafone have invested in infrastructure, so now we have at least 4G in most parts of Uganda. It’s not as fast as in other countries, but it’s good enough for building a tech company.

[40:25] Grant Trahant:

Have you thought about creating a certificate programme or some kind of recognized accreditation for the training you offer?

[40:25] Emmanuel Trinity:

Yes, we’ve approached universities and technical institutions about offering certificates for our students, but changing the system is difficult. Many institutions want to keep students for three years to make money, whereas we believe you can train someone in one year if the curriculum is designed effectively. We’re working with organizations like Fields of Life to create technical institutions that focus on skills development and vocational training.

[44:40] Grant Trahant:

What are your goals for the future of era92 and the Elevate Programme? What’s driving you right now?

[44:40] Emmanuel Trinity:

My vision is to create the “New Africa.” In the next five years, I want to scale our programs to multiple districts in Uganda. In the longer term, I want to build a space where African innovators, creatives, and entrepreneurs can develop world-class talent. Africa has the fastest-growing population and one of the youngest populations in the world. By 2050, we’ll have the largest workforce, and my goal is to help equip young Africans with the skills they need to create jobs and opportunities.

[50:08] Grant Trahant:

Africa isn’t typically seen as a tech hub, but geographically, it’s positioned to be one. You’re building that foundation. How do you see Africa’s role in the future of tech and innovation?

[50:08] Emmanuel Trinity:

Exactly! Africa is centrally located and has so much untapped talent. Just like India and China are becoming tech hubs, I believe Africa will too. It’s all about creating opportunities and changing the narrative that Africa is only a place for aid. I see Africa as the future of innovation, and I’m excited to be a part of that change.

[52:37] Grant Trahant:

Your work is amazing, and I’m truly inspired by everything you’re doing. It’s been an honor to talk with you, Trinity. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

[53:35] Emmanuel Trinity:

Thank you, Grant. I really appreciate it. God bless you, and may the impact we’re all creating continue to grow.