A new digital community library in Kabale District has been commissioned to provide free internet access, computer training and digital learning opportunities to learners and members of the wider community. The multimillion-shilling facility, established by ATC Uganda in 2024 at the Southern Division headquarters in Kabale Municipality, was commissioned on Tuesday by Mikael (Mika) Cleverley, the United States Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Uganda.
The facility is intended to help bridge the digital divide by giving people access to computers, internet connectivity, digital literacy training and other technology-enabled learning opportunities.
Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda, the ATC Uganda Chief Executive Officer, said the Kabale facility is part of a wider initiative under which the company has established 14 Digital Communities in 14 districts. She said the centres are intended to increase access to digital tools and skills, particularly in underserved communities.
Kabagambe said the Kabale Public Library Digital Community is strategically located along the Kabale-Katuna Road, making it accessible to learners from nearby schools, including Kikungiri Primary School, Ndorwa Primary and Secondary Schools, as well as students from higher institutions of learning such as Kabale University and St Ignatius University.
The facility is also open to members of the wider community, including people with different levels of literacy and digital experience.
Kabagambe urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the free internet by conducting research and exploring new innovations rather than using the facility mainly for social media and leisure. She also called on Southern Division authorities to protect the facility from vandalism to ensure its sustainability.
Stella Sekweyama, ATC Uganda’s Head of Human Resources, said the centre provides free digital skills training to pupils, students and other members of the community. She said ATC Uganda has partnered with Window International to conduct training sessions in the morning and afternoon.
Sekweyama said trainees who complete the one-month programme receive certificates. She said about 3,000 people have so far benefited from the training.
Alfred Mujuni, a resident of Karubanda Ward in Southern Division, Kabale Municipality, said the facility has helped him acquire computer skills that he had previously been unable to afford.
Mujuni, who is in his 60s, said he had worked in different offices without computer skills despite having an interest in learning how to use computers. He said the establishment of the Public Library Digital Community at the Southern Division headquarters allowed him to acquire the skills.
Mujuni said the computer skills he gained through the programme enabled him to be selected in his area to work as a secretary under the government’s Parish Development Model (PDM) programme. However, he said power outages affected the training sessions.
Barham Aijuka, an Information Officer at Uganda College of Commerce (UCC) Kabale, described the digital library as an important opportunity for learners to acquire ICT skills.
Hassan Rwamango, the Principal Assistant Town Clerk for Southern Division, and Macklean Ninsiima Batware, the Division LC3 Chairperson, commended ATC Uganda for establishing the facility. However, they appealed for additional support to construct a larger structure, saying the existing space is too small to accommodate the growing number of users.
Michael Muramira Kyakashari, the Kabale Deputy Resident District Commissioner, directed Southern Division authorities to install CCTV cameras at the facility to help identify people who may attempt to vandalise it.
Commissioning the facility, Cleverley commended ATC Uganda for contributing to Uganda’s communications infrastructure through the management of network infrastructure.
He said reliable communications infrastructure is critical to the country’s economic development.
Cleverley also commended ATC Uganda for establishing the digital community library in Kabale, saying the initiative forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and allows communities to acquire digital knowledge. He encouraged local authorities and students to embrace innovation, saying facilities such as the digital library can provide access to knowledge and help innovators identify potential markets for their products.
He also called on local authorities to create spaces where people can develop and share ideas, saying this could help communities identify and take advantage of economic opportunities. The Kabale facility is part of ATC Uganda’s wider investment in digital learning initiatives in the region.
In September 2024, ATC Uganda commissioned and officially handed over a multimillion-shilling Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hub to San Giovanni Senior Secondary School Makiro in Kanungu District, aimed at enhancing digital education in the Kigezi region-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
