Until this week, 18-year-old Roselyn Oroma had never touched or used a computer. The school dropout from Paduny Village in Anaka Sub-county had only heard about Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and dreamed of acquiring digital skills. However, poverty and the absence of computer training facilities in her community kept that dream out of reach.But on Wednesday, Oroma became one of the first beneficiaries of a newly established Community Digital Hub in Anaka Town Council, joining the inaugural cohort of 20 learners receiving free basic computer training.
The digital hub, established through a partnership between the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) and American Tower Corporation (ATC) Uganda, is expected to expand digital access and equip residents with the skills needed to participate in Uganda’s growing digital economy. “This ICT training is very helpful because it helps connect businesses online with other people. It also helps us create our own computer businesses and improve our internet skills,” Oroma told Uganda Radio Network shortly after the facility was commissioned.
She said the centre would particularly benefit young people by giving them access to research materials and information from around the world, enabling them to transform their lives through digital technology.Richard Okwonga, another youth from Anaka Town Council, said his digital skills had improved significantly since enrolling for the training. He said he can now type and format an official letter independently.
Okwonga, however, appealed for similar digital hubs to be established in other parts of Nwoya District where many young people still lack access to ICT training. The Community Digital Hub, currently housed at the Nwoya District Teachers’ Resource Centre, has been equipped with 20 computers and internet connectivity. It is open to students, researchers, entrepreneurs and other community members seeking digital literacy and online access.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, UNOC Chief Executive Officer Proscovia Nabbanja said the facility demonstrates the company’s commitment to ensuring communities hosting Uganda’s oil and gas developments are well positioned to benefit from emerging economic opportunities. She said sustainable development goes beyond infrastructure and requires investment in education, innovation and the young people who will drive Uganda’s future economy.
According to Nabbanja, the digital hub will provide digital literacy training, access to technology, career development, financial literacy and lifelong learning opportunities for people of all ages. She encouraged students, women entrepreneurs and local businesses to take advantage of the facility to improve productivity, access new markets and develop innovative business ideas.
Dorothy Kabagambe Semanda, the Chief Executive Officer of ATC Uganda, said the centre is part of the company’s flagship Community Digital Programme, which supports communities hosting its telecommunications towers.
She noted that although the initiative places special emphasis on young people, the facility is open to anyone interested in improving their digital skills.Semanda said ATC Uganda is investing in digital infrastructure and community skills development because Uganda still trails many countries in digital connectivity and mobile penetration.
“We have planted a seed in Nwoya today. Twenty-five or thirty years from now, we expect to return and see engineers, accountants, lawyers, geologists and entrepreneurs who started their journey from this community digital centre,” she said.The Nwoya hub has a full-time instructor provided through ATC Uganda’s implementing partner, Windle International Uganda, which will offer free training in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Oracle, Cisco and other computer applications.
Nwoya District Education Officer Philip Oryema welcomed the partnership between ATC Uganda and UNOC, saying the digital hub had already generated overwhelming interest among residents. He revealed that about 70 learners had registered for the free ICT training, far exceeding the initial intake of 20 trainees currently undergoing instruction.
Oryema said the district prioritised establishing the centre because ICT has become indispensable for education, business and communication, yet Nwoya continues to lag behind in digital adoption. According to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census, only 969 households in the district own computers, highlighting the limited access to ICT devices despite the increasing importance of digital technology.
“We believe that with the launch of this centre today, ICT uptake will gradually improve, and the use of the internet and other forms of digital communication will increase,” Oryema said.The Nwoya facility is the 84th Community Digital Hub established by ATC Uganda across the country. URN