GameXperience will launch their school gaming initiative on 7 May 2025.
Image: Supplied
In classrooms where textbooks are shared and Wi-Fi is more wish than reality, something unexpected is plugging in: a gaming console.
But this isn’t about escaping reality — it’s about reshaping it.
At the centre of this quiet revolution is Tyrone Damon, the founder of GameXperience Africa, and the driving force behind a grassroots initiative called the Esports School Programme.
His goal? To bring digital skills, career exposure, and creative learning to young people in communities that are often overlooked — all through the power of gaming.
“This is about more than just playing games — it’s about using gaming to educate, empower, and prepare young people for the digital world,” said Damon, seated in a classroom he’s helped equip, his voice full of hope and urgency.
The initiative is personal. Damon grew up in Lansdowne, Cape Town, raised by a single mother who worked as a house mother in a boys’ home.
He and his three brothers didn’t have much — especially not gaming consoles — but they had each other, and a tight-knit community that shaped how he sees the world.
Tyrone Damon's vision is coming to life.
Image: Supplied
“We never had our own equipment,” he recalled. “We’d play in borrowed spaces, share moments of joy with neighbours, friends, even strangers. That small access planted a big dream.”
That dream has grown into a program that’s already changing lives.
Schools that sign on to the Esports School Program receive the basics to get started — gaming stations with consoles, screens, headsets, and games preloaded with purpose, which is funded out of Damon's pockets and some donations.
He explained that that six consoles, comprising of Xbox 1S, 6 screens, controllers, brandable game stations and cables costs tens of thousands of rands.
The games also double, more than entertainment; they’re tools to build skills like problem-solving, teamwork, critical thinking and leadership.
“For many kids, this is the first time they feel fully engaged in learning,” said Damon. “It’s that feeling of ‘I’m good at something’ — and that spark can change everything.”
The programme isn’t just about fun and games. It includes coaching, digital career awareness, and a big focus on wellness — mental, emotional, and even physical. Damon knows gaming has its critics, especially among parents and teachers unsure of its value, but he’s working to change that perception one school — and one honest conversation — at a time.
“Gaming isn’t the enemy. It’s a bridge,” he said. “It connects young people to opportunities in coding, game design, content creation — entire industries they didn’t even know existed.”
Tyrone Damon
Image: Supplied
Of course, there are challenges. Some schools don’t have internet access, let alone the devices to support online play. But Damon is undeterred. He adapts, problem-solves, and, in at least one case, offered up his own home's Wi-Fi so a class could get online.
“We’re learning as we go. Each school is different, each community unique. We’re doing what we can with what we’ve got — and we’re building something we hope will outlast us,” he said.
So far, the initiative is supported by the digital-skills NPO HAIBO PHANDA, and Damon is beginning to form partnerships with other local organisations, NGOs, and companies in the tech and gaming space. Whether it’s gear, funding, or mentorship, he welcomes all who want to help.
“It’s a team effort. This can’t just be my dream — it has to be something we grow together,” he said.
And at its heart, it really is a dream. One rooted in a childhood of resilience, shaped by community, and powered by love — for learning, for technology, and for the kids who deserve more than just survival.
“I guess you could say I wanted to be a modern-day Robin Hood,” Damon said with a grin. “Not by taking from others — but by creating access to opportunity. Gaming did that for me in small ways, and now I want it to do the same for someone else — just on a much bigger scale.”
If anyone wants to help Damon expand on his vision they can contact him on: 084 314 6542
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za
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