Technological leg-up for Ugandan community

The Nick Maughan Foundation (NMF) and Spotlight on Africa came together to create the first Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre of its kind in Uganda. Not only will it teach IT skills to the 1,000+ children who attend the Spotlight on Africa schools, but it will also have the capacity and capabilities to teach ICT skills to adults in order to help them with their own economic and technological development and empowerment.

The centre is set to provide seven different levels of courses – from basic ICT skills up to coding – all of which will be fully accredited with qualifications. The teaching staff will all come from the IT Department at Livingstone University, to ensure the teaching delivered is of the highest quality.

The centre has purchased high quality computers, all of which have been set-up for a productive and efficient teaching environment. Using the first StarLink in Uganda, a satellite internet service providing internet connection to remote locations, the centre has attained internet speeds that are 30 times faster than the average internet speed in Mbale.

Solar panels fitted on the roof will provide a reliable source of energy in a country where power cuts are frequent. This is the first project of this kind in Mbale.

"This is an exciting new project which will make a huge transformative difference to the people of Mbale,” commented Hefin Rees KC, Spotlight on Africa Chairman. “Not only will the 1,000+ children in our schools learn essential IT skills, but we will also teach the local adult community. This will empower them to get the modern skills they need to compete for good quality jobs. We are so grateful to the Nick Maughan Foundation for supporting this new project and look forward to building many more of these ICT Centres throughout Uganda over the next few years."

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to support this wonderful community further in its mission to boost the lives of local children and adults,” responded Nick Maughan. “The ICT Centre will provide opportunities to those who have hitherto been unable to develop technology skills. This centre is just the start, I hope that we can build on the success of this project to create further such centres in the years to come as the country evolves to build the capability that it deserves to become an economic force in the global digital economy. I offer my sincere thanks to and admiration for Hefin Rees for his extraordinary leadership in bringing this project to fruition."

“It is a privilege to be involved in such a dynamic charity that is nimble enough to turn on a sixpence when the need arises,” commented Scott Cowan, CEO of Africa Legal and a member of the board of trustees for Spotlight on Africa. “The fact that the whole community within the very poor area of Mbale has embraced Spotlight on Africa says it all. Speaking from first hand experience, I see the smiles on the faces of all who are being impacted by the extraordinary work that has been done.

“At the 2023 African Legal Awards we introduced the charity to our pan African legal community of lawyers, and it gives my wife Wendy and I great pride to get our clients involved in any way they can be.”

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