Unemployed Kuyasa youth were equipped with essential skills and knowledge during a mobile digital literacy training programme held at Site B library last week.

Held in conjunction with CoLab for E-Inclusion and Social Innovation from the University of Western Cape, the programme was rolled out by Indwe YakwaNtu Service and Projects.

The training session covered a range of topics including Introduction to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Digital Opportunities, Network Connections, and Mobile Productivity Applications for Home and Work (including email, word processing, calendar, maps, and cloud storage).

Nhlanhla Nhlapho, the project management and training coordinator from the University of the Western Cape, said he was happy that young people are taking these opportunities with both hands. He said wherever they go, sessions are well-received by the participants and Kuyasa was no different.

“The whole idea came out of research that shows that there are opportunities in the digital space. Young people are being exposed to the digital economy. This is one of the fastest growing economies. There are opportunities in that space. One can make money while at home, working for an overseas company,” said Mr Nhlapho.

He added that the programme is accredited. He also urged the community to attend it. “We started this three years back and have trained more than 1000 people. We are targeting black townships because they are disadvantaged in this space. We have been to Strand, Kayamandi, Kraaifontein and other areas. The programme is practical,” he said.

Senior librarian Vuyokazi Njambathwa-Rani believes the initiative has the potential to make a meaningful difference.

She said addressing youth unemployment is essential for building a more inclusive society where all citizens can participate in the economy and society.

“The initiative will unlock the potential of young people especially in Kuyasa. Remember the hardest hit has been young people from the remote and disadvantaged areas like ours. We therefore thought it would be great to have this initiative so that they can be employable,” she said.

She praised the partnership for its commitment to fostering skills development in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector and for creating a new source of income for the young people of the township.

“We did this at the Site B library and we want to continue to uplift the skills of our young people. We see a lot of potential in our young people. They deserve to work. Initiatives like these are instrumental in empowering individuals and enhancing their employability prospects.”

She said the feedback received from the participants reflected their gratitude for the opportunity and their eagerness for future training sessions.

Participant Ziyanda Daniso spoke highly of the programme. “We were taught a lot of things like about solar installation, repairing cellphones, computers and many other things. The programme has surprised me. I always thought I knew technology but I was wrong. I only knew the basics. I am really grateful,” she said.

Upon completion of the training, attendees were presented with certificates to mark their achievement.

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