Youth leaders meet
to promote UDS ICT Rural Youth Project
At the end of September, Robert Ssebuliba, UDS’ I.T. Project officer in Kamuli, got the youth leaders together from the
major areas of Kamuli district, and from Kamuli town itself, to discuss UDS’
ICT Rural Youth Project and ways of expanding it out into rural
communities.
The Ugandan government has recognised that the lack of I.T.
skills in the rural communities, and access to computer equipment are holding
back progress in this area. UDS is
seeking to fill this gap by increasing IT awareness among the rural youth and
encouraging young people to train with us in our Kamuli centre.
The aim of the meeting was twofold – first, to brief the
youth leaders themselves on what UDS could offer them, and second to discuss
how best to attract the involvement of the
local youth.
The leaders are all aged between 18 and 35 years old, and
the majority of them are teachers. They
were all very enthusiastic, and agreed UDS’ ICT Rural Youth Project could bring great benefit to their
communities. But they all expressed the reservation that many young people are
concerned only with “food and money”, and it would be a difficult job convincing
them to participate.All agreed that they would have to work hard to change the
young people’s attitudes.
Finally, Robert took the youth leaders on a tour of UDS’
offices and facilities so that they could tell the young people what UDS has to offer.
