TRAINING: The information ministry launched a two-week digital literacy training in Kavango West on Monday. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
TRAINING: The information ministry launched a two-week digital literacy training in Kavango West on Monday. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Bridging the digital divide in Kavango West

Empowering communities with IT skills
The two-week Digital Computer Literacy Programme was launched on Monday to empower youth with essential and basic computer literacy skills.
Nikanor Nangolo
Poverty has become entrenched in the daily lives of many residents in the Kavango regions, with countless individuals finding themselves on the fringes of destitution with little or no formal education.

In the remote villages of the Kavango West Region, early child marriages are becoming increasingly normalised. Parents, burdened by economic hardship, are sometimes coerced into consenting to such practices, seeking financial benefits in exchange for the futures of their young daughters.

In an effort to improve the lives of the residents in the Kavango West Region and bridge the digital divide gap, the information and communication technology ministry commenced a two-week digital literacy training in Ncuncuni constituency on Monday.

Equip with IT knowledge

The Digital Computer Literacy Programme (DCLP) is designed to empower youth with essential basic computer literacy skills, equipping them with the required skills to navigate and utilise technology effectively.

At the launch of the initiative last year, the information minister Emma Theofelus highlighted that the country is positioning itself to become a global destination for ICT services, hence the need to drastically increase digital literacy and address the digital divide in Namibia.

Theofelus emphasised that Namibia cannot afford to neglect equipping all Namibians to use and benefit from available technologies.

“That is why it is important to put in place mechanisms with the little resources we get to ensure that we have digital literacy available in our communities so that they are empowered to use technology to improve their lives."

The minister said the computer literacy programme serves as a commitment and demonstration by government to reach every citizen and ensure they have the necessary skills to improve their lives through the digital space.

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Namibian Sun 2024-05-20

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 423.84/OZ UP +0.14% | Copper US$ 5.01/lb DOWN -0.0079 | Zinc US$ 3 149.50/T UP 3.28% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.11/BBP UP +0.06% | Platinum US$ 1 060.03/OZ DOWN -0.0233 Sport results: Premier League: Sheffield United 0 vs 3 Tottenham Hotspur | Crystal Palace 5 vs 0 Aston Villa | Brentford 2 vs 4 Newcastle | Brighton 0 vs 2 Manchester United | Liverpool 2 vs 0 Wolves | Burnley 1 vs 2 Nottingham Forest | Luton Town 2 vs 4 Fulham | Manchester City 3 vs 1 West Ham | Arsenal 2 vs 1 Everton | Chelsea 2 vs 1 Bournemouth LaLiga: Barcelona 3 vs 0 Rayo Vallecano | Cadiz 0 vs 0 Las Palmas | Granada 1 vs 2 Celta Vigo | Mallorca 2 vs 2 Almería | Atletico Madrid 1 vs 4 Osasuna | Villarreal 4 vs 4 Real Madrid | Valencia 1 vs 3 Girona | Real Betis 0 vs 2 Real Sociedad | Athletic Club 2 vs 0 Sevilla | Deportivo Alaves 1 vs 0 Getafe SerieA: AS Roma 1 vs 0 Genoa | Inter Milan 1 vs 1 SS Lazio | Monza 0 vs 1 Frosinone | Udinese 1 vs 1 Empoli | Sassuolo 0 vs 2 Cagliari | Torino 3 vs 1 AC Milan | Lecce 0 vs 2 Atalanta | Fiorentina 2 vs 2 Napoli European Championships Qualifying: Southampton 3 vs 1 West Bromwich Albion English Championship: Southampton 3 vs 1 West Bromwich Albion Weather: Katima Mulilo: 11° | 30° Rundu: 10° | 30° Eenhana: 11° | 31° Oshakati: 13° | 30° Ruacana: 11° | 30° Tsumeb: 14° | 28° Otjiwarongo: 11° | 26° Omaruru: 14° | 29° Windhoek: 11° | 26° Gobabis: 12° | 26° Henties Bay: 20° | 35° Wind speed: 46km/h, Wind direction: NE, Low tide: 07:38, High tide: 14:01, Low Tide: 19:40, High tide: 02:00 Swakopmund: 19° | 27° Wind speed: 21km/h, Wind direction: SE, Low tide: 07:36, High tide: 13:59, Low Tide: 19:38, High tide: 02:00 Walvis Bay: 23° | 34° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: SE, Low tide: 07:36, High tide: 13:58, Low Tide: 19:38, High tide: 02:00 Rehoboth: 12° | 27° Mariental: 15° | 29° Keetmanshoop: 17° | 29° Aranos: 15° | 28° Lüderitz: 19° | 32° Ariamsvlei: 17° | 31° Oranjemund: 14° | 25° Luanda: 24° | 27° Gaborone: 14° | 27° Lubumbashi: 11° | 26° Mbabane: 11° | 23° Maseru: 8° | 25° Antananarivo: 10° | 19° Lilongwe: 13° | 27° Maputo: 18° | 26° Windhoek: 11° | 26° Cape Town: 14° | 19° Durban: 17° | 27° Johannesburg: 15° | 25° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 28° Lusaka: 14° | 25° Harare: 11° | 25° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.07 | EUR to NAD 19.76 | CNY to NAD 2.51 | USD to NAD 18.2 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.7 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.55 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.28 | USD to AOA 847.42 | USD to BWP 13.47 | USD to EGP 46.59 | USD to KES 130.73 | USD to NGN 1529.85 | USD to ZAR 18.23 | USD to ZMW 25.9 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 79530.63 Up +0.03% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1754.58 Up +0.81% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13426.13 Up +0.11% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26142.84 Up +3.27% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9151.06 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 423.84/OZ UP +0.14% | Copper US$ 5.01/lb DOWN -0.0079 | Zinc US$ 3 149.50/T UP 3.28% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.11/BBP UP +0.06% | Platinum US$ 1 060.03/OZ DOWN -0.0233