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Build with Love
Inspiration
My sister has paralysis. She cannot walk, and her speech is unclear due to nerve damage. She holds a Geography degree from Kotebe Metropolitan University – but has never been offered a job.
Then I saw her on TikTok. Using only her hands and her creativity, she grew nearly 10,000 followers. She didn't have a degree in marketing – she had determination.
That moment hit me: If she can build an audience from a wheelchair, the only missing piece is opportunity – not ability.
I decided to learn digital marketing. After taking a standard course, I realized most programs ignore disabled learners – no captions, no keyboard navigation, no real portfolio, and no path to income. So I built my own.
Patriot ET is named after her. It is built for her.
What it does
Patriot ET is an accessible, practice‑first digital advertising course for disabled Africans and unemployed graduates. Learners build a live website (no coding), run mock programmatic campaigns, create CTV scripts and audio ads, optimize for voice search, and graduate with a portfolio and a freelancer profile. The course is 70% hands‑on, 30% theory, and every module produces a real asset they can show employers or clients.
How we built it
How we built it Moodle as the LMS (accessible themes + accessibility block).
LLM (ChatGPT) to generate HTML/CSS for learner websites.
GitHub + Vercel for free, no‑code deployment.
Google Sheets for the Results Dashboard (pre‑filled with formulas).
Canva, ElevenLabs, Google NLP API for creative and analysis tasks.
Discord for community and peer support.
WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines for all video transcripts, captions, keyboard navigation, and screen‑reader compatibility.
I also created 19 structured sections – from the Leaky Bucket Audit™ to CTV, pDOOH, and freelancer platform integration – each with a short video and a guided practical task.
Challenges we ran into
Making analytics dashboards accessible to screen readers. I switched from complex charts to tables + CSV exports.
Finding real client projects for disabled learners. I partnered with the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) and local small businesses.
Funding live ad campaigns for practice. I applied for Google Ad Grants and local economic development funds (some rejected, but I kept going).
Balancing depth with cognitive load – every video is under 7 minutes, and each practical has a single clear deliverable.
My own doubt – but I remembered my sister growing 10,000 TikTok followers from a wheelchair. She never quit, so I couldn't either.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Built a fully accessible course – transcripts, captions, keyboard navigation, screen‑reader compatibility, and alternative assignments for visually intensive tasks.
Designed a no‑code website pipeline that anyone can follow (LLM → GitHub → Vercel). No programming required.
Created 19 portfolio‑producing modules – learners leave with a live URL, audit reports, ad scripts, dashboards, and a freelancer profile.
Integrated a freelancer marketplace (Contra, Gebeya) so graduates can earn from day one.
Secured grant funding for live campaign capstones (Google Ad Grants + local funds).
Most importantly: my sister can now take this course and get work from home.
What we learned
Accessibility is not optional – it changes lives. Blind learners can excel in audio ads and voice SEO if we remove barriers.
Practice beats theory – 70% hands‑on work produces real portfolios, not certificates.
Free tools are enough – GitHub, Vercel, Google Sheets, and LLMs can build a world‑class learning platform at zero cost.
Community multiplies impact – a freelancer platform integrated with an LMS turns learners into earners.
One person can start a movement – my sister’s 10,000 followers taught me that determination matters more than resources.
What's next for Patriot ET
Launch a grant‑funded live campaign capstone – learners run real ads with small budgets (Google Ad Credits).
Build a custom Moodle marketplace plugin – seamless job matching between graduates and businesses.
Translate all materials into Amharic and sign language – reach more disabled Ethiopians.
Partner with ECDD and the Ministry of Labor to scale nationally.
Replicate the model for other African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda).
And eventually, hire my sister as a content creator and mentor. She already has the followers. She just needs the platform.
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