Denis heard about the UNITAR “Developing Essential Digital Skills for Women and Youth in Africa” training programme from a friend and decided to give it a try. The programme, offered free thanks to the generous support of the Government and People of Japan, aimed to enhance the employability and competitiveness of African women and youth with digital skills for a digital-driven world. Spanning four months, it ended in February 2024 and covered critical topics in business and information technology.
Participants were split into the Microsoft or IBM track based on their interests. Each track included self-paced learning, a self-led project, a boot camp, webinar or hackathon and a community and sustainability workshop. Through the IBM track, Denis learned how to analyse, interpret and present data. After the virtual portion of the programme, he was invited to participate in the hackathon session in Kenya, where he earned second place for his project to support youth and women with vocational training and skill development, mentorship and career guidance, and connect them with employment opportunities. Denis enjoyed the opportunity to compete and present his project to audiences not just from Kenya but from all over the world.
The UNITAR programme equipped Denis with the skills to advocate for digital literacy in his community and raised the profile of his project. Denis enjoys sharing what he learned with his colleagues and the people he meets, saying that whenever he does, “I’ve improved their capacity [and] their knowledge on information technology.”
The UNITAR programme also shifted how Denis approaches his work. His favourite course was not focused on information technology or business, but on mindfulness. Learning how to incorporate mindfulness into his work reduced his stress while improving his productivity.
In other areas, Denis says he learned project management skills so he can juggle additional projects. He also found the lessons on artificial intelligence (AI) particularly interesting because he did not know anything about AI before. He is now considering how to use AI to empower his community to attain digital literacy and financial independence.