Empowering young people with Digital Literacy skills
Meet Ayandza Nkosi, a 2020 activator from Mpumalanga and the Founder of Tholulwazi Youth Centre, Nkosi is one of the network fund recipients. We caught up with they to hear what the impact of the network fund has been on they programme.
“The resources we received, specifically laptops and wifi, have significantly impacted
our youth centre program. With these resources, we’ve been able to provide our
young people with access to technology and the internet, which has opened new
opportunities for learning, creativity, and connection”.
Passionate about the use of technology to develop young people, Nkosi reiterates the value of the saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.
“As a programme, we have been able to offer digital literacy training, teaching our young people essential skills in using computers, online safety, and digital citizenship. Additionally, through access to the internet, our young people have been able to access a wealth of online resources, including educational websites, online courses, and digital libraries. Overall, the laptops and WIFI have been a game-changer for our youth centre program, enabling us to provide more effective and engaging services to our young people”, Nkosi adds.
Tholulwazi Youth Centre has been successful in achieving several milestones. One of their most significant milestones was establishing a digital literacy program for young people at our Youth Centre.
“With the help of the network, we were able to make this programme not only equip our young people with essential skills but also boost their confidence and self-esteem”, Nkosi.
The youth centre also hosted a community engagement initiative that brought together young people from different backgrounds and neighbourhoods. Through a series of workshops and activities, they managed to break down barriers and foster a sense of community and belonging.
“This initiative has been a powerful example of the impact that can be achieved when young people are empowered to take action and drive change”, they narrate.
One of the challenges faced by the youth centre is securing funding to sustain its programmes. Not deterred, they chose persistence and creativity to address the challenge and managed to secure support from local organizations and individuals, enabling them to continue their work.
“As a youth centre, we love sharing these stories to inspire and motivate others to take action, and to highlight the impact that can be achieved when young people are empowered and supported. By sharing our experiences, we hope to contribute to a broader understanding of the importance of youth empowerment and community engagement”.
Looking into the future the programme plans to expand its Digital Literacy Training offering:
“We aim to expand our digital literacy training to reach more young people, with a focus on underserved communities. We are also launching a mentorship programme to pair young people with experienced professionals, providing guidance and support in their personal and professional development and tying this with community engagement initiatives, including workshops, events, and campaigns, to promote social cohesion and community development”.
For Nkosi, digital literacy is not just a skill to be used in the community, but a doorway to open opportunities across the globe. They call on you to spread the word and take a chapter from their book on what it means to have an idea, and use it to empower community members at large.
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About the author:
Zamayirha Peter is an Advocacy Communications Specialist with over eight (8) years of experience in multimedia journalism and communications. Her passion is using development communications to contribute to the advancement and empowerment of communities particularly the youth, across the continent and influence global conversations through using strategic communication tools.
