THE SIRONKO DIGITAL VILLAGE
Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF) is partnering with the youth of Sironko, Uganda in using ICT as a catalyst to create positive changes in the community.
Sironko Digital Village Fact Sheet
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In 2005, United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS) volunteer Charles Galusha spent several months at the Owerri Digital Village in Nigeria gaining experience and first-hand knowledge of YTF's model of delivering ICT-based benefit to the community.
Now back in Uganda, Charles, in partnership with YTF, will establish the Sironko Digital Village, a community technology center built in the same paradigm of the Owerri Digital Village, West Africa's premier Digital Village established by YTF in 2001.
The center will be used as a base for:
- Training young people in the use of information and communication technology (ICT).
- Providing ICT services to the community.
- Enabling youth to develop a deeper understanding of their community through the use of ICT tools.
- Empowering youth to affect positive and concrete changes in their community using ICT tools.
In June 2007, a YTF team member in the U.S., will be traveling to Uganda to collaborate with the youth in Sironko to launch the Sironko Digital Village.
Location Sironko District
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General characteristics of Sironko district :
- Newly created district
- West of Mt. Elgon that borders Kenya
- Connected by a highway to the rest of Uganda
- Main economic activity: small-scale agriculture aided by rich volcanic soil
- Main cash crops: coffee and cotton as well as bananas (matooke) and vegetables
- More girls attend school than boys (51:49)
- Relatively low dropout rates at schools (10% to 20%)
- Most residents lack electricity or water supply
- Poor infrastructure
State of ICT in Sironko district:
- Few secondary schools provide basic computer education
- Most school going children unfamiliar with computers
- Lack of equipment and electricity are the major factors limiting the exposure to ICT
- Community mostly unaware of ICT tools and their potential benefits
- ICT not regarded a priority by the political leadership
- Noticeable divide between Sironko and the neighboring district of Mbale, which has Internet cafes and computer training schools
To make a financial contribution to the Sironko Digital Village, kindly mail the check to:
Youth For
Technology Foundation
P.O. Box 9105
Greenville, SC 29604
Alternatively, you may click on the Network for Good logo below to make a secure donation for the Sironko Digital Village.
For additional questions or details about the Sironko Digital Village, please send an email to sironko@youthfortechnology.org
Sironko Digital Village Wish
List
Sironko Digital Village Blog
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