Where technology and faith intersect, a remarkable journey unfolds. Meet Ebel Chimuthul, a missionary transforming the lives of young entrepreneurs in Mozambique. This is his journey from a computer science graduate to a trailblazer in the innovation space.
Ebel runs “Aspire,” a three-month program for young entrepreneurs to learn about business models and develop a business mindset through Kingdom-focused training. The course helps the local youth launch their businesses from scratch and pitch them to potential investors. He hosts an annual pitch competition and demo day after the training workshop, where participants can secure investors and take their ideas forward.
He also heads a weekly program to familiarize churches with social media and evangelizing digitally. The course includes posting, editing, and strategizing, to name a few lessons. More churches embraced the idea of digital evangelism since 2020 when the world was forced into the virtual era.
Ebel’s vision of digital evangelism
Intrigued by technology and its potential to be a powerful tool for evangelism, Ebel’s journey with digital evangelism began in 2018. At the time, he worked with organizations like Equip Mozambique and Sinapis Kenya, who shared his vision. Together, they developed apps, web systems, and entrepreneurship training programs to enable the local youth to navigate the digital space confidently. Eventually, his passion for digital evangelism led to the creation of the Fountain of Life app, a virtual library of audio teachings by local pastors. Through this initiative, he successfully made the Bible accessible to regions where illiteracy prevailed.
Sources that sustained Ebel’s pursuit of digital evangelism
His inspiration stemmed from The Prosperity Paradox, a book dedicated to lifting nations out of poverty through innovation. The book offered a new framework for economic growth based on entrepreneurship and market-creating. For Ebel, however, it was about equipping the youth to solve current problems while profiting from them.
With his newfound interest, Ebel discovered Indigitous and was intrigued by the annual hackathons where people gathered to address real-life issues. He partnered with Indigitous in 2020 to launch the first virtual #HACK Mozambique. Many locals began to adopt his vision and anticipated more in-person hackathons to build a community of thinkers. “I developed my skills within the Indigitous community, which helped maximize my ability to preach the gospel through my interest in technology,” he said.
The impact of hackathons and workshops on the Mozambique community
The hackathons and workshops played a pivotal role in the students’ lives by creating a sense of leadership and responsibility that helped them secure good jobs. One of the graduates highlighted how being the team leader in the hackathon gave him the confidence to lead a team in the corporate sector and take up more responsibilities. “The idea is not to focus on starting projects for the sake of starting projects,” Ebel says. The important thing, he says, is “the impact these initiatives have on people’s lives.”
One of the graduates highlighted how being the team leader in the hackathon gave him the confidence to lead a team in the corporate sector and take up more responsibilities.
Ebel’s strategic initiatives for Mozambique in 2024
Ebel aims to create a lively and vibrant community among young innovators and start a local investment group to bring recognition to young entrepreneurs in 2024. He is currently exploring social and community philanthropy, helping locals legalize themselves, find investments, and apply for grants tied in with their entrepreneurship course. The idea is to organize and manage app developments for investors outside Mozambique to connect and invest in his students’ projects through the app.
As we look ahead, he urges more individuals to join this mission. It’s not just about coding or entrepreneurial skills; it’s about empowering the youth with tools that transcend the digital landscape, fostering personal, spiritual, and communal growth. Join Ebel, embrace the mission, and let’s innovate, teach, and disciple together.
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