Empowering Entrepreneurship through Technology

Irene, with a smile from ear-to-ear, attended a Kitgum U-TOUCH Digital Center computer training program, which transformed her life and that of her family.

 “I am a 28 year old and I started working as a nurse in 2007, when I joined SJ Hospital. My husband left me and I could not care for my children myself with the income of a nurse. I could not feed or clothe them or pay tuition fees to send them to school. A friend told me about computer training at U-TOUCH. I did not know anything about computers but I learned computer skills and received my certification. Then after learning computer skills I benefited from U-TOUCH in lerning how to save some money and to open my own business.”

 With money saved the U-TOUCH trainer took Irene to town to rent a shop.  She learned to order supplies online, pay using mobile money and have all her goods delivered to her, rather than traveling long distances and spending money needlessly to make her purchases.

 Irene beams with positive self-esteem and confidence “I am now progressing the way you can see this is my own drug shop, my own money. I am a single mother with two children. After the U-TOUCH experience I started a business. I am keeping my children well and I am very happy. They are even being educated in a very expensive school and I introduced them to computers. We learn about information about the world and I have even hired employees to help run my business. I taught them about computers and I hope one day they will be able to open their own businesses like me.”

Irene’s life’s has been transformed. She has not only created a thriving business but she has begun educating the Kitgum community about preventive health as well as over-the-counter medications. Irene is excited to have introduced her children and employees to computers and hopes they will feel the confidence, self-esteem, happiness and empowerment she feels in becoming a successful entrepreneur using technology. Irene glows with pride that she has become an empowered woman gaining self-sufficiency to completely provide for her children and mother as well as support her employee’s families.

With your generous donations 400 trainees have graduated achieving U-TOUCH certification. They have received intensive computer training with life skills to build self-esteem and confidence; job skills and business skills to increase the opportunity of gaining employment or becoming an entrepreneur by beginning a business, to improve their economic conditions and transform their family's lives. They are gaining economic independence and changing the course of life, just like Irene. The U-TOUCH graduates are becoming entrepreneurs and are highly employable with their impressive unique set of skills.

It is therefore, with deepest appreciation of your generous donations that U-TOUCH can continue working to advance the communities of Uganda with technology and ultimately toward self-sufficiency.

Please let us know what you think of this strategy toward alleviation of poverty.  U-TOUCH is now working toward a model of self-sustainability and would be grateful for your input. You have made this project possible and we would love to hear from you about how we can together reach out to engage others in this exciting opportunity to transform so many lives by training enrepreneurship through technology.