In the age of social media, viral videos and posts showcasing the talents of children have become a common sight. Among them is Elvis Muchiri, a 9-year-old prodigy from Kenya, widely known as “Evolve with Elvis.” He has gained popularity on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter for his tutorials on computer shortcuts, as reported by People of Color in Tech.
This young Kenyan tech genius shares his knowledge with followers, demonstrating keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl + T for opening a new tab in a web browser and Ctrl + B for bolding text. Working alongside his younger sister Megan, Muchiri began posting on TikTok in March and has amassed over 125,000 followers and more than 1.7 million likes. On YouTube, he boasts a subscriber base of over 8,000. Social media users express their gratitude for the valuable lessons they’ve learned from this talented Kenyan boy.
In fact, one Twitter user wrote, “I AM ACTUALLY LEARNING A LOT from a Kenyan 8-year-old named Elvis who teaches keyboard shortcuts on TikTok with his sister Megan.” Another TikTok user added, “The next Elon Musk from Kenya. Soon enough he’ll be teaching programming and coding, and I’m here for it. My niece needs to be on this side.”
Initially, Muchiri used Windows 2007 to demonstrate the shortcuts, but he has since upgraded his equipment and setup thanks to a generous $600 donation, as reported by People of Color in Tech. Additionally, his father, Francis Muchiri, has created a fundraising page on M-Changa Africa to support a three-year program aimed at establishing a technology institution in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, while also providing assistance to local schools, youth centers, and promoting innovation.
The fundraising page emphasizes that while Evolve with Elvis currently teaches keyboard shortcuts, with support, they aspire to expand their reach to remote parts of Kenya and eventually the rest of Africa. A statement from the page reads, “We, therefore, feel the need to extend the same knowledge and more to the remotest parts of our country Kenya and eventually the rest of Africa.”
According to figures, Kenya had 17.86 million internet users as of January 2023, with an internet penetration rate of 32.7 percent of the total population at the beginning of the same year. Recognizing the importance of technology, the Kenyan government introduced coding as a subject in primary and secondary school curricula last year, further emphasizing the nation’s commitment to technological advancement.
