mHub's Daring-to-Shift Program Empowers Malawian Youth with Digital Skills
Digital adoption grows in Malawi, but gaps persist in rural areas, writes Mustafa Makumba.
LILONGWE, Malawi– As Malawi witnesses a growing wave of digital skills and technology adoption, efforts to bridge the gaps and challenges, particularly in rural areas and among marginalised populations, are underway, writes Mustafa Makumba.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are playing a crucial role in advocating for digital literacy and access to technology, with initiatives such as the daring-to-shift programme by mHub Malawi, supported by the Digital Opportunity Trust (DoT).
The daring-to-shift programme aims to build competencies in facilitation, digital literacy, gender equality, and 21st-century skills among Malawian youth.
Vanessa Dzekedzeke, programmes officer at mHub, explains that the programme focuses on empowering young entrepreneurs to leverage technology for the improvement of their enterprises and living standards.
“Our programme aims to empower young people with employment opportunities and provide them with essential training in entrepreneurship through 21st-century technology skills,” said Dzekedzeke. She highlights that the programme imparts advanced digital skills in areas such as data analysis, social media marketing, and website development.
Since its inception in June 2022, the daring-to-shift programme has successfully reached out to over 350 youths in Lilongwe and Zomba.
Happiness Zidana, a beneficiary of the programme, shares her experience of acquiring website development skills.
“This programme has been an eye-opener for me, enhancing my knowledge management and content development skills. Previously, I had no idea about website creation and management, but now I am confident in my ability to create and effectively manage websites,” said Zidana.
She proudly challenges the notion that women cannot be technologically literate, noting that numerous young women have acquired technological skills through this initiative.
Praise Kagoya, another participant, expressed how the programme enhanced his website development and entrepreneurship skills.
“The training opened doors to new areas. Initially, I only knew how to operate existing websites, but now I have the knowledge to create websites from scratch,” explained Kagoya.
He is currently working on a new website, thanks to the guidance provided by the program.
To ensure the program’s effectiveness, mHub organised an orientation session for 14 community leaders from various areas in Lilongwe.
This step aimed to familiarise the leaders with the daring-to-shift project, enabling them to effectively communicate its objectives within their respective communities.
By training diverse individuals in different communities, the programme aims to reach as many people as possible.
Despite its success, the daring-to-shift initiative faces challenges in reaching out to a broader audience, as many young people are hesitant to participate.
Overcoming these hesitations requires additional effort and strategies to encourage their engagement.
As Malawi continues its journey toward digital inclusion, initiatives like Daring to Shift serve as crucial stepping stones to empower the youth with the skills necessary for success in the digital age.