My Community Project – Digital Literacy

My community project is digital literacy for youth and women.

For two years, 2013-2015, I had the privilege of working with ICT Authority - Pasha, a government supported project with the aim of taking ICT to the rural community. Although my work was to identify strategic business opportunities and streamline business operations for Pasha Centers to generate a higher revenue, I learnt a lot about the impact of ICT.  Computers have provided an entirely new medium for literacy (reading and writing). Digital literacy has led to great increases in information that can be conveniently and quickly accessed and facilitates the collaboration and sharing of knowledge. When people are connected to the internet for example,

1.      Lives change – economic and education opportunities are discovered,

2.      Self-confidence rises,

3.      Connections are made.

The computer has become a part of global business and the education culture, to this end digital literacy has a direct effect on a country’s economy.

My selection of my community project was therefore biased. After working in 27 counties and interacting with youth and women who have benefited from digital literacy, I wanted what I saw elsewhere for my community. I wanted to see lives changing, increased self-confidence and many connections made.

I visualize many youth working online and supporting themselves and their families. I visualize women connecting to check for government procurement opportunities, I visualize many community connections motivated by digital literacy.

My community project is housed at Gachika Youth Polytechnic. The Polytechnic is in Nyeri County, Gachika Ward. This is along the Marua - Nanyuki road. Youth attending the Polytechnic are trained in Electrical engineering, Motor vehicle technology, Hairdressing and Beauty. The polytechnic students will benefit from the digital literacy project as we will offer computer classes to them as well.

Where your community project is housed is important. Since the services or goods you offer are for the community, they must be comfortable with the location you pick. It should be easily accessible and should have basic facilities like washrooms. Where such facilities don’t exist, they should form part of your agenda as you roll out your community project.

The success of my community project, as is the case for most community projects, is dependent on the community Buy-In. If the community doesn’t understand what I’m doing and why, I am not likely to go far.

Next week I will be talking about the importance of community Buy-In for your community project. I will give you examples of what has worked, keep following..