Ka Piko — The Origin

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Tech Savvy Teens was born out of necessity — and the quiet determination of a group of young people who decided to show up.

During COVID, when Kawaiahao Church moved its services online, many kūpuna in the congregation found themselves suddenly disconnected from their faith community. Unable to navigate YouTube, smartphones, or video calls, they were left behind. Jaffer Dakroub and a group of friends stepped in to help — one kūpuna at a time.

What started as informal tech support quickly grew into a weekly smartphone and technology help session. Word traveled to neighboring churches, then to senior living homes across Oʻahu. The need was profound, and the response was clear: teens were uniquely positioned to meet it. Already fluent in the devices and platforms that intimidated older generations, they brought not only technical skill but patience, warmth, and genuine connection.

As the program grew, so did the teens. The more they taught, the more they wanted to learn. Questions about certifications, career pathways, and professional credentials began to surface — and the program evolved to meet that ambition. What began as community service transformed into a full workforce readiness program, equipping youth with industry-recognized certifications in digital literacy, Microsoft Office, and cybersecurity, and creating direct pathways to technology careers in Hawaiʻi.

Tech Savvy Teens exists because a group of young people proved something important: the best resource for bridging the digital divide was already here. It just needed the opportunity to grow.

Jaffer Dakroub is a 16-year-old native Hawaiian homeschool student at Kaulike Academy, a Native Hawaiian cooperative learning community for youth ages 13–17. As co-founder of Tech Savvy Teens, he has helped grow what began as informal COVID-era volunteer work into a structured, community-based workforce development program serving kūpuna and youth across Oʻahu.

Jaffer's vision for Tech Savvy Teens is rooted in two convictions: that kūpuna deserve full and equitable access to the digital world, and that underrepresented youth in Hawaiʻi deserve clear pathways to high-skill, high-wage careers in information technology — without having to leave home to find them.

Outside of his work with TST, Jaffer is an avid basketball and pickleball player who values genuine human connection. He is actively developing his skills as a public speaker and advocate, with a commitment to amplifying the voices of both the kūpuna his program serves and the young people it empowers.