Digital Training Transforms Lives
THE RELEVANCE OF ICT CLASSES TO BOTH STUDENTS AND ELDERS OF NAKUWADDE
Worldwide Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are increasingly vital in both school and professional settings for smooth operations. Recognizing this need, Action in Africa (AIA) introduced training sessions twice a week for both students and elders in the community, providing practical experience. Today, we celebrate two recipients who have greatly benefited from this service: Nabasumba Lydia and Ssali Ibrahim.
Nabasumba Lydia: Overcoming Barriers to Digital Skills
Lydia, a 38-year-old resident of Nakuwadde, shared her inspiring journey during an exclusive interview at the Center.
A senior six dropout, Lydia had her education cut short when her uncle could no longer support her academically. She admitted that during her school years, she underestimated the importance of computer skills. However, this realization hit hard when she lost a job opportunity to someone with better ICT competencies.
“Ever since I joined AIA’s ICT sessions, my skills have reached the next level,” she noted happily.
As a beginner, Lydia learned foundational skills such as switching computers on and off, cold and warm booting, typing, editing, copying and pasting, saving work on drives and desktops, and sending and responding to emails.
Later, she progressed to more advanced topics like web searches via Google, and differentiating between software and hardware, as well as input and output devices. Lydia proudly stated that out of 20 students in her ICT class, she is among the top learners.
She was particularly excited about learning Microsoft Word and Excel, recalling a moment when her inability to type led to her losing a sports betting job in Busega town.
Despite missing that opportunity, Lydia remains optimistic. “The time I’ve spent at AIA’s ICT sessions is not wasted. I am confident that a computer-related job will come my way, helping me improve my income stability, ” she said.
Lydia expressed deep gratitude to AIA’s management for supporting those in need. She also urged donors and sponsors to continue contributing to this noble cause.
Ssali Ibrahim: The Rising “Webmaster”
At just 17 years old, Ssali, a senior three student at Riverside School, has earned the nickname “Ssali the Webmaster” from his peers, thanks to his web design skills.
Ssali became fascinated with ICT during holiday sessions at the Center while watching staff repair laptops and give lectures that sparked his passion for the field.
While inspiration played a role, Ssali attributes his success to his passion, confidence, creativity, research, and consistent practice. These qualities have elevated him to the position of “Webmaster” among his peers at school.
Through coding, Ssali now designs websites and applications for classmates and organizations using HTML and CSS. He also recently attended an ICT boot camp organized by AIA at Nakawa, where he networked with senior professionals, gaining new insights into coding and expanding his technological expertise.
Ssali earns approximately $42 USD from projects like website designs, success cards for candidates, and custom birthday cards. His schoolmates and teachers support his endeavors, often recommending him for consultations.
Beyond earning money, Ssali has gained trust, leadership experience as president of the ICT Club at Riverside School, and exposure through professional networking. He also runs a free website called ICT Skill-Up, where students can access ICT notes in audio, text, and video formats.
With help from AIA’s donors, sponsors, and team for their continuous support of the Nakuwadde community and young people like him, he aspires to become a software engineer in the future.
