Digital Chance

To Enable school dropouts in semi-urban and rural areas to attain ICT skills and henceforth improve their access to employment.

In Uganda, the rate of school dropouts is relatively high, particularly among girls and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Save the Children revealed that up to one in five children in fragile countries, including Uganda, had dropped out of school because of rising poverty, child marriage, and child labor, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic

The unemployment rate for high school dropouts is 13% higher than the unemployment rate of those whose highest level of educational attainment was a high school credential which is 7%. 

The factors that have contributed to unemployment among school dropouts include a lack of job skills, a lack of soft skills, and a lack of job experience. Additionally, school dropouts face discrimination due to their lack of education, making it difficult to find employment in certain fields or job roles.

Some of the main negative effects of unemployment include:

• Financial strain: Unemployment often leads to a loss of income, which can make it difficult to pay bills and afford necessities.

• Psychological distress: Unemployment can be a source of stress and can negatively impact mental health, leading to feelings of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

• Loss of skills: Long-term unemployment can result in a loss of skills, making it harder for school dropouts to find work in the future.

• Social isolation: Unemployment can lead to social isolation, as school dropouts may no longer have the same social connections they had when they were employed.

• Increased crime: Unemployment can lead to an increase in crime, as school dropouts may turn to illegal activities as a way to make money.

•Increased alcoholism and substance abuse: Unemployment can lead to an increase in the consumption of alcohol and dangerous substances as school dropouts turn to them to relieve stress.

My solution is to set up community centers in semi-urban and rural areas that are equipped with computers laptops graphic tablets and qualified trainers in different fields to be able to skill the school dropouts okay it is meant to provide these school dropouts with ICT skills such as web design and up development graphics and motion design, video, and photo editing, digital marketing training, and basic computer skills and soft skills such as communication teamwork initiative adaptability and emotional intelligence  preaparing them for job readiness linking them to employers therefore achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 and giving them confidence to become self-employed using creativity and innovation to solve other problems in their community therefore giving them hope for the future.

My solution is targeted at unemployed school dropouts between the edges of 16 to 30 who live in semi-urban and rural areas. These are individuals who have dropped out of school due to various reasons such as poverty, family obligations, mental health issues, early marriage, and disability especially due to the covid19 pandemic. 

These youth have been unable to acquire employment due to their lack of Education, job skills, soft skills, and job experience. 

They also face discrimination in their communities for something that they may not have had control over. And some of them do not have the necessary funds needed to acquire such important skills, especially in this digitally changing world.

 I am a leader, Peer educator, and self Advocate who has participated in different pieces of training such as the East African girls' leadership summits by the Creative Action Institute(CAI).

I have also acquired different ICT skills which I would love to share with the school dropouts for the past three years I have been volunteering with Triumph Uganda mental health support to promote sexual reproductive health rights and mental health among adolescent girls and young women. 

Through my volunteering, I have had the chance to move to different communities as appear educator and I have gotten the chance to interact with many school dropouts who are facing different challenges and the biggest one being unemployment. 

They shared with me the challenges they go through trying to acquire employment. they were also free to share their interest in learning skills that would enable them to acquire employment. 

As a fellow young person and mental health Advocate, I have seen how this unemployment has brought about mental health issues the school dropouts and this has inspired me to find a solution that would support them. 

Therefore this solution will help them acquire the skills needed for them to acquire employment and be able to meaningfully contribute to the communities where they come from.
My team will also include young people who have dropped out of school and have gotten a chance to gain these ICT skills.

I took out survey-based research where I asked the school dropouts that I interacted with if they would be interested in learning ICT skills and soft skills to enable them to acquire employment 70% of them were excited by the idea.
 In Uganda, many organizations provide vocational-based skills but skilling is rare, especially in rural areas.
 In Uganda for example ICT skills are easily attainable by middle and upper-class families but it is hard for the majority population born into poor families to access them.