Free internet access at Oyam Daily Market is giving traders new opportunities to access information, promote their businesses and connect with customers, after a Rural Community Broadband Network was installed as part of a digital inclusion project.
The network, installed at 12 sites in Oyam District, is currently undergoing technical testing, but market vendors say the connectivity is already changing how they access online services. The Rural Community Broadband Network was established under a project launched in May 2025 by Women of Uganda Network-WOUGNET in partnership with netLabs!UG and the Internet Society Foundation to pilot a rural broadband connectivity model in Northern Uganda.
The network is expected to benefit women-led farmer groups, schools, health centres and small businesses by improving access to affordable internet in areas that have historically faced connectivity challenges. More than 60 people in Oyam District have so far received digital literacy training from WOUGNET in preparation for the operationalisation of the broadband network.
Mirriam Atoo, Vice Chairperson of the Market Vendors Association, said the free internet is helping women traders access educational resources, business opportunities and other vital online services. She said vendors no longer have to worry about buying mobile data bundles before going online.
Joan Okello, a food vendor at Oyam Daily Market, said the new connectivity is already helping bridge gaps in information and trade. Okello said she previously spent about 5,000 shillings every day on mobile data to access the internet, an expense she no longer has to incur at the market.
WOUGNET recently conducted inspections of the Rural Community Broadband Network sites in Oyam to assess their functionality, utilisation, security and sustainability. Sandra Aceng, Executive Director of WOUGNET, said the assessment found that the equipment had been properly installed and was operational, while communities were actively using the service.
Aceng said the next phase of the project will focus on measuring its impact, including the number of teachers and learners using the internet and the extent to which farmers are accessing market information to improve their farming practices.
The project is expected to expand digital access beyond individual users to schools, health facilities, farmer groups and small businesses, with the aim of using connectivity to improve livelihoods and access to essential services. Denis Anyeki, LCIII Chairperson of Oyam Town Council, praised WOUGNET for the initiative, saying the internet will help market vendors interact digitally with traders and customers outside Oyam.The Rural Community Broadband Network is therefore expected to play a wider role in opening up the local economy by reducing the cost of internet access and connecting communities in Oyam to information, markets and services beyond the district-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
