Eastern Uganda youth thrive as UCC pilots digital skilling program

In Mayuge district, eastern Uganda, a hands-on digital skills training program initiated by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), under the Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF), has transformed the way more than 100 local youths use their smartphones.

For these ‘digital youths,’ phones are no longer just tools for entertainment and socializing; they have become offices, sources of income and, most importantly, pathways to employment.

Implemented by Prime Time Communications across the five eastern districts of Mayuge, Bugiri, Pallisa, Busia, and Soroti, this program aims to reduce unemployment by equipping rural youth with essential ICT and multimedia skills. These skills are vital for navigating the growing and lucrative world of content creation and the online gig economy.

Denis Jjuuko, the team leader at Prime Time Communications, says the program aims to impart at least 500 youths across the five districts with the ICT and multimedia skills they need to effectively utilize their smart devices such as phones, laptops and tablets to find work and embrace new technologies like Artificial Intelligence.”

“In today’s digital landscape, fields such as graphics design, social media influencing, website development and online commerce are viable career paths for many young people in Uganda, especially amidst the high unemployment rate,” he says.

Adam Tenywa, a trainee who won a new smartphone for creating the best graphics design poster, exemplifies the creative potential of youth once they are properly trained and equipped.

“Through this training, I learned many skills in multimedia content creation that I didn’t possess before. The fact that I was able to design a poster within a week and win a new smartphone tells me that with further practice and growth, I can use my graphics design skills to improve my life,” he says.

The training has also notably changed the mindset of the participants, as observed by Phiona Mutesi, the Mayuge district Youth Representative.

“Many youths in Mayuge have been idle and unemployed. This training has inspired them to think outside the box and create jobs for themselves instead of blaming the government for the lack of job opportunities,” Mutesi says.

To further inspire the trainees, comedian and content creator Hussein Muyonjo, popularly known as Swengere for his witty use of the local dialect (Lusoga), was invited as guest speaker. He provided valuable insights into the content creation industry, emphasizing the importance of branding, content planning and adherence to ethical and legal requirements when using social media.

“How you brand and present your content plays a crucial role in capturing your audience’s attention. You should be your own first audience; if something isn’t good for you, it shouldn’t be uploaded for your audience either,” he explained.

Aliyi Kyamusana Nabongo, the senior assistant chief administrative officer for Mayuge district, praised government’s commitment, through UCC and the ministry of ICT and National Guidance, for empowering the youths nationwide through digital skilling and job creation.

“As a district, we fully support this training because we believe it is a significant step for our nation. These trainings are directly aimed at improving the livelihoods of youths through technologies that they are passionate about and familiar with. We look forward to seeing the youth implement the skills they have acquired, and we urge the government to increase the number of youths trained in our district due to our high youth population,” Aliyi said.