By Eddah Waithaka
Six thousand youth have benefited from the Huawei DigiTruck Initiative to date, marking a significant milestone in empowering the next generation of tech leaders with the digital skills required to thrive in today’s fast-evolving ICT industry.
The initiative has also been instrumental in helping youth bridge the digital divide and prepare for the future, thus driving positive change and expand opportunities for youth in Kenya.
Launched in 2019, ‘DigiTruck’ transforms a shipping container into a mobile classroom that comes fully equipped with laptops, smartphones, and Virtual Reality headsets.
This mobile learning facility travels to remote areas, providing hands-on training on essential digital skills. The program aims to empower young people by teaching them how to navigate the digital world to access online education, remote job opportunities, and digital trade.
DigiTruck opens new doors for youth in rural and underserved communities by focusing on improving access to technology and education. The success of the initiative results from active partnerships and collaboration among Huawei Kenya, the national administration through the Ministry of Information, Communication and The Digital Economy, local and county leadership, and training partners like Computers for Schools Kenya.
Speaking on this announcement, Hon. John Kiarie, MP for Dagoretti South and Chair of the National Assembly’s Communication, Information and Innovation Committee lauded the partnership saying that collaboration between private sector players and government was a key strategy for catalyzing digital transformation.
“Real transformation with a shared vision, and this is what is at the heart of the DigiTruck partnership. A dream where each school-leaving youth, especially from underserved communities in Kenya, has the basic ICT skills to earn a livelihood or join the digital workforce,” commented Hon. Kiarie.
Hon. Kiarie, further expressed his joy on the impact the Digitruck ICT literacy program was having in the community by empowering them for better livelihoods.
He further emphasized the importance of technology in spurring growth and advancement of all economic sectors, saying “In today’s world, no discipline stands alone independent of technology. If you think education, you have to think EduTech, for Agriculture, AgriTech, finance, FinTech, if you think Health, you have to think HealthTech and so on. Meaning that, Digital Skills, today, are as important as Basic Literacy and Numeracy.”
The DigiTruck program is part of Huawei’s ongoing commitment to investing in Kenya’s future by developing a sustainable talent ecosystem in ICT. The program has already trained thousands of young people across Kenya, and today’s graduation further solidifies Huawei’s role as a key player in developing local talent and fostering innovation.
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In 2024, a total 1,648 youth trained by DigiTruck, with females accounting for 55% of the trainees drawn from six counties namely: Trans-Nzoia, Kiambu, Murang’a, Nairobi, Uasin Gishu and Marsabit.
Speaking during the dissemination of the 2024 Digitruck Status Report, Adam Lane, Government Affairs Director at Huawei Technologies Kenya challenged the youth to develop their digital skills further and use technology to secure livelihoods and solve problems in their communities.
“You have gained skills that are designed not only to propel you into the digital space but also to help you create solutions for your communities and access job opportunities through various online platforms.” We encourage all young people to continue learning and up skilling, exploring new areas of growth as emerging technologies take center stage in our increasingly digital world.”
The Huawei DigiTruck program has become an important initiative in Kenya’s ICT and digital literacy landscape, helping to cultivate a new generation of tech-savvy youth ready to lead in the digital age.
In doing so, Digitruck contributes to the attainment of local, regional and global development goals by building a digitally-skilled youth workforce to drive a digital economy.
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