Bridging the Digital Divide: Empowerment of Tana Delta Youth
In a world where there is a lack of digital skills, people are often trapped in poverty. This is the reality for many young people in Tana River, Kenya, where illiteracy and unemployment rates are startlingly high. But a ray of hope has come into being with the opening of Inua Jamii, the first digital village hub in the region.
This initiative, through a collaboration between Paradigm Initiative and SheRises Foundation, is targeting over 20 students from the poorest backgrounds. Over ten weeks, they will be immersed in a program designed to provide them with the tools to thrive in the digital age. The students will be trained in digital marketing and entrepreneurship, as well as app development. Not only will they have the skills needed to find jobs, but to create them.
The project coordinator, Miriam Beatrice, indicates that the program focuses on “self-employment using IT”. She understands that technology has the power to change lives, especially within disadvantaged communities. As of the last recorded data, less than 5% of Tana Delta residents have digital literacy.
Makena Jillani of Amani Centre, echoes this sentiment. They see the digital revolution as an opportunity for the youth to shift from traditional employment models to self-sustenance. They highlight the growing importance of ICT in various sectors like healthcare, education, and tourism. Makena also encourages young women who may not have completed formal education to seize this chance to acquire valuable digital skills.
Participants exude a sense of excitement. Anitasha Rubi sees herself starting her cybersecurity firm after this program, while Madina Hamza has dreams of developing an e-marketplace for agricultural products. These aspirations spell out the transformative power of digital literacy.
Inua Jamii is much more than a skills training program. It’s a hope, an opportunity for young people in Tana Delta to become the architects of their own destiny in a world undergoing digital changes every second.
