Tanzania
Digital skills training for youth
Helping students in Tanzania advance valuable computer skills and pursue their dreams
Education & Training
The Need
All over the world, technology is changing the way we live, work and interact with each other. Compassion’s frontline church partners in Tabora, Tanzania know that students need to be fluent in digital technologies to get good jobs in the future. That’s why, in 2018 and 2019, our partners ran workshops for 336 youth to teach them basic digital skills. Tutors worked one on one with students and assessed their individual interest and ability. Of these youth, 60 young people demonstrated exceptional promise in developing these skills at a more advanced level.
However, training in any kind of advanced technology is expensive—far beyond what students living in poverty can afford. Most of these young people were past the age of 18 and would be entering the workforce soon. Without valuable job skills, their opportunities would be limited.
With computer labs already installed at each of the three centres, our partners wanted to provide these 60 young men and women with the chance to learn advanced digital skills by hiring a professional tutor. They hoped to offer training in skills like coding and app development, so students could develop their own digital products. Our partners also recognized that students who developed these skills would eventually be able to teach and train others.
Our Response
With your generous support, Compassion was able to provide 60 bright and promising students with training in advanced digital skills that included robotics coding, app development and web development.
Compassion’s national office in Tanzania oversaw the process of selecting educators for the training. Two companies were hired: 3epower, a Korean company specializing in coding and app development, and the University of Dar es salaam Computing Centre, which specializes in website development. Local church partners were responsible for organizing the training sessions and tracking students’ attendance and performance.
Computers were upgraded and labs at each centre were equipped with the advanced digital tools and applications required to run the training. Programs and applications included Scratch for Arduino, Scratch and App Inventor. For four weeks, students attended classes six days a week from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Churches provided meals for students on site. At the completion of this course, all students demonstrated the ability to produce digital products and services. Ten students demonstrated exceptional skill in robotics coding and are already being prepared to coach and train their peers.
Activities
Training: Students attended classes in advanced digital skills including robotics coding, graphic design and web development.
Practice: Students were excited to practise their new skills by creating their own applications, robots and digital artwork. Students presented their creative works to the class. Products ranged from animations to traffic lights.
Peer tutoring: Some students who demonstrated exceptional ability have already begun training and tutoring others.
Your Gift Provides...
Your gift provided a 4-week training course on advanced digital skills training for 60 students from three different Compassion centres (20 students from each centre):
• Installation of digital tools and programs, including advanced Micro Bits, Arduino, App Inventor and App Inventor for Smartphone, Robots and Scratch for Arduino
• Equipment for digital productions
• Meals for students during training
• Monitoring and evaluation
ReportA message from those your gift helped
Before the implementation of this project, program activities did not attract many young people. Youth are interested in activities that help create jobs and generate income. For example, I had very limited knowledge about digital skills, especially computer program development and other areas of computer technology. It was my longtime desire to acquire advanced digital skills, but I didn’t have access.
The presence of a computer lab at our centre has given me the opportunity to manage my time well. I don’t waste my time on activities that add no value to my career and future. I have increased my knowledge and skills in computer programming, especially robotics coding, Scratch for Arduino, APP Inventor and Scratch. Also, I have developed an ability to earn money through the creation of various digital products. This means I will secure a job. I have an opportunity to meet the requirements of current industries like the military and other fields with digital perspectives. There will also be an increase of family income, as I will continue to make digital products and sell them. I will be able to earn money, which will be used to meet my basic needs, the needs of my family and others in my community.
I have learned that computer programs are very essential in running our daily lives. The knowledge and skills that I have acquired have paved a way in shaping and widening my competencies. Furthermore, I have learned how to transform digital skills into capital, as I have already started to earn money. I think digital literacy should be taught from kindergarten to university, because it simplifies work and is a secure source of income and employment for youth.
Being one of the beneficiaries of this intervention, I have seen that the knowledge and skills we have acquired have brought tremendous improvement to my life and to other youth in our area. I really appreciate this opportunity and pray that Almighty God will bless all those who provided financial support for this intervention.
ReportThank you for your generosity
With your help, 60 talented students in Tabora, Tanzania have been equipped with valuable skills in digital literacy and are already creating their own digital products and services. This has been a life-changing opportunity, and they are so grateful.
In just four weeks of training, these bright young men and women have made incredible strides. They understand advanced programming languages and have already started developing their own digital products and services. They can make interactive stories, games and animations, and they have learned how to share their creations with others online. They have learned advanced robotics coding methods and have been able to put their knowledge into practice. Using the latest digital programming technologies, they have also learned how to build fully functional, complex apps for smartphones and tablets.
Your gift will have a ripple effect for years to come. As more and more young people learn these skills and get well-paying jobs, their families and communities will gain economic stability. Some students are already tutoring their peers, passing along this valuable knowledge to other vulnerable youth. With advanced digital tools now readily available to them, churches will be able to offer more training programs in the future. Thank you for supporting this important initiative!
ReportA message from a centre director
Since the completion of the intervention, 60 youth in the Tabora area have acquired advanced knowledge and skills in robotics coding, Scratch for Arduino (S4A), Scratch and App Inventor. The skills have enabled the beneficiaries to grab opportunities associated with technological development. Equipping these youth with advanced digital skills has helped them develop the abilities to make digital products and services essential for the creation of employment and income-generating activities.
There are numerous benefits that the church and the community have gained through this project. The community’s trust in churches has increased. Students who could not afford this training have acquired skills in computer applications that would have cost them thousands of shillings. The presence of standard computer labs at Tabora centres is beneficial, not only to registered beneficiaries but also to other children in the surrounding communities. This intervention has produced computer experts who are already being asked by members of the community to fix some software challenges. Beneficiaries have gained digital knowledge and are well-prepared to compete in the future as far as the labour market is concerned.
The presence of well-furnished computer labs with installed software of robotics has been an attraction to beneficiaries in attending program days, particularly the youth. Youth always need engaging and profit-oriented programs. This intervention has improved youths’ attendance and has increased our ability to minister to beneficiaries spiritually, socio-emotionally, physically, cognitively and economically. This will ultimately help us to realize our mission in the lives of our beneficiaries.
We really express our heartfelt gratitude for your incredible support. We convey our special appreciation. May Almighty God bless you exceedingly!