Cocomore has grown into an international company over the last decade, with employees from across Europe. We prioritize international collaboration on projects and recognize the scarcity of talent, especially in Drupal development. The demand for Drupal developers often exceeds the available supply, compounded by the necessity of English proficiency for remote collaboration. To address this, we have expanded our search areas and focused on nurturing individuals interested in learning Drupal. And by that, we have found the perfect match at Digital Lions, a Fair Trade digital agency based in Turkana County that helps young people in impoverished rural areas of Eastern Africa.
Now, after several months of training and working together, we would like to present to you our Drupal Trainer Patrick and one of our students, Adolphe. We have asked both of them questions regarding their expertise and experience as being part of our Cocomore Lions Academy.
Cocomore: Patrick, you’ve started working as our Drupal Trainer in Kenya the past year together with Digital Lions. Can you tell us more about what Digital Lions is?
Patrick: Digital Lions is a globally recognized digital agency certified by the World Fair Trade Organization, renowned for its commitment to quality and ethical practices. Our team of talented professionals, all graduates of the esteemed Learning Lions training program, delivers a diverse array of creative services. Located on the picturesque shores of Lake Turkana in Kenya, our agency operates from a state-of-the-art, solar-powered IT campus, reflecting our dedication to sustainability and innovation.
Cocomore: What does this collaboration between Digital Lions and Cocomore mean for you and the students?
Patrick: This collaboration holds significant value for both us and the students. It serves as a platform for networking, communication, and empowerment within our team while providing an opportunity to share new skills and foster adaptability among our students.
Cocomore: Adolphe, as a student at Digital Lions in collaboration with Cocomore, what has been your biggest challenge so far?
Adolphe: During our apprenticeship, we've run into a few tough situations, such as setting up the technical part, going through the learning material as this is our first time working with Drupal. But our supervisors have always supported us.
And yes, we did face some challenges so far, but facing challenges is part of the journey, and we're tackling them by communicating well, solving problems strategically, and using everyone's skills. This helps us turn obstacles into chances for growth and new ideas.
Cocomore: Apart from working in Africa, you also work with international teams in Europe. What has your experience with the European team been like so far?
Adolphe: Our experience with the European team has been positive, marked by effective collaboration and a shared commitment to the projects’ objectives. Regular communication channels via Teams or email facilitated the exchange of information, which contributed into a cohesive and productive partnership.
Cocomore: Alongside working with international teams, you've also received training in a new technical area. How is your experience with Drupal so far?
Adolphe: Our experience with Drupal has been one of constant learning and growth. We started from scratch with fundamental skills and have been steadily progressing ever since.
We already learnt basic Drupal concepts and fundamentals of the Linux command line, DDEV and Drush. With these foundations, we have gained basic experience and successfully created some dummy Drupal websites following the instructions provided by our trainer Patrick. As we move ahead, we look forward to expanding our expertise in this field. Currently we are learning about multi-language site-building, views and paragraphs.
If you’re interested in following the journey of our students and co-workers at Digital Lions, follow us on LinkedIn and our blog to receive updates.
