Some 290 youths who underwent a six-week intensive training in digital skills offered by Huawei Digitruck initiative have graduated in a ceremony held at Oriwo boys high in Rachuonyo North Sub County.
The training, undertaken at Kanyapir chief’s camp, equipped the youth with essential computer literacy, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship and cybercrime awareness to prepare them for the evolving digital landscape
Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo who presided over the graduation congratulated the youth who have been leaving their homes to come to and attend classes to gain the skills
He said the Huawei digital skills training programme launched in 2019 as a flagship initiative has trained over 6000 youths across the country in 36 counties.
“This year alone, the programme has equipped 1648 individuals with digital skills,” the PS, said adding that 906 were ladies, reinforcing the commitment, not just from Huawei, but also from government on gender inclusivity, as part of the government’s digital empowerment progress in line with the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) of fostering growth in the digital superhighway and creative economy.
He said when the graduands look at the skills they have gained; it is possible for them to start an enterprise saying the government has put in a lot of investment towards the realization of BETA.
Like many other counties, the PS said Homa Bay County faces challenges in digital literacy, jobs access and technology driven entrepreneurship and that is why the government in partnership with Huawei is bringing digital training directly to the communities to ensure that no one is left behind.
“The youth have completed an intensive programme gaining essential skills to thrive in today’s digital economy era, they have mastered basic computer literacy, explored online job opportunity in remote works and studied digital marketing and financial literacy so as to be able to grow and sustain their business,” the PS said.
As the Chair of the National Computer and Cybercrime Coordination Committee, the PS reaffirmed his commitment in expanding digital inclusion across the country to empower more youths and foster greater innovation saying the government could not do it on its own.
“We want to call on local leadership, business communities, and all the stakeholders to join us in this noble mission because when we invest in digital education, we invest in people and when we invest in people we build stronger communities and when we build stronger communities we create a stronger and more prosperous nation called Kenya,” he said.
The PS said the training offered was not just to produce the digital users, but shaping the digital leaders, entrepreneurs and change makers who would help this county and country to embrace the digital future.
He said the graduands have also been trained on online safety and cyber safety ensuring that they were able to navigate the internet responsibly as well as protecting personal data and avoiding cyber threats.
“The skills you have gained should enable you to responsibly use digital skills so that you don’t use it negatively by bullying people or disseminating disinformation and falsehood but use it positively first to empower themselves but also to better inform the rest of the country as you do so to your fellow youths,” he said.
Adam Lane, a Huawei official speaking at the event said he was delighted to support with digital skills’ training saying he has worked in universities across the country as well as TVET institutions as part of the Ajira opportunity programme.
“And I have been to 35 counties in Kenya now this is my 36th county,” he said, adding that they trained people not in the university, those in university and those about to join university.
Adam thanked partners including the National Youth Council, Ministry of ICT and Safaricom among others for supporting the Huawei Digitruck digital training.
He called on the graduands to share everything they have learnt with classmates, neighbours, with those in the neighbouring schools saying by sharing their skills and knowledge, they would have more impact.
Adams however told the trainees that the skills were important towards succeeding in life adding that he strongly believed in having certain values like perseverance, self- reflections and dedication.
“Having skills is important but also having values and work ethics to be able to succeed, to get jobs, to be entrepreneur and to be innovators and to have a positive impact on yourself and your communities,” he said.
The event was attended by the Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan, County Director State Department for Youth Affairs Electa Opar, Project Manager Computer for Schools’ Kenya Joseph Oliech and Lake Basin Authority Managing Director Wickliffe Chiaga among others.
By Moseti Julius
