November 14, 2023 – WPDI recently ran an ICT course for young people in the Acholi sub-region of Uganda, where access to information and technology remains challenging for vast segments of the population. Anywhere in the world, the significance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) courses for young people is pivotal in shaping their educational, professional, and societal growth. This is especially true in locations marked by poverty and exclusion. Our field experience in such places has shown us that connecting marginalized communities to our global community can lead to concrete socio-economic and cultural benefits for local people, hence the importance of creating opportunities for them, youths in particular, to acquire ICT skills and familiarize themselves with commonly used software.
In this context, we ran an advanced ICT course for 30 youths at our Community Learning Center in Gulu that focused on advanced robotic programming. Our long-term partner Ericsson supplied Spike Prime robotics kits, an edutainment set created by LEGO Education, designed to help trainees learn about programming using the Scratch program.
Combining colorful LEGO building elements, easy-to-use hardware, and an intuitive drag-and-drop coding language based on Scratch, SPIKE Prime continuously engages students through playful learning activities helping them to think critically and solve complex problems.
Trainees marveled at this extraordinary learning experience and were excited about the doors this kind of training program might open for them: “If you learn programming skills, you will be able to innovate and create software for web and mobile platforms. I am grateful for this training,” said Candiya.
Another trainee, Agenorwot, highlighted the unique opportunity the initiative brings to the community: “The training is very beneficial as it opens doors for us. Using computers is now more accessible to us, but accessing ICT education has been scarce. WPDI is a youth hub that helps us access computers and education. In the future I hope to get employed thanks to these skills.”
By fostering ICT education, young people in the Acholi Sub-Region can enhance their skills, access a broader array of career prospects, and contribute meaningfully to the local and global economy. Such user-friendly tools can play an instrumental role in bridging the digital divide, fostering innovation, and enabling more and more youths to express their talent in a technology-driven era.
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