Overview

To address the educational needs of young people across Uganda, UNICEF is providing support to establish Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centers at identified youth centers, community resource centers, teacher colleges and other learning spaces.

These locations should be easily accessible and safe, attractive to youth, and be a space where in- and out-of-school children and youth can play, learn, collaborate, and access services and information. The hardware for the site should be easy to use, easy to fix, rugged and (in most cases) solar-powered. A small management team at the site will receive training in basic operation and maintenance of the computer equipment. Most of the ICT centers should engage in activities that will make it a sustainable resource for the organization and the community (Internet access for a fee, mobile phone charging, or other small business services), as well as provide other youth-friendly services (health services, counseling, vocational training) at the site, or by direct referral.

UNICEF and partners are also providing content for the “Uganda Portal”, a content package that will be available for free on the computers at each of these locations. The goal is to provide locally relevant and locally produced content, and encourage the youth to contribute with new content of their own to a variety of collaborative and participatory sites such as Connecting Classrooms and U-report.

The youth center ICT sites’ services should include, but are not be limited to:

• vocational training and non-formal education opportunities (both digital and hands-on)
• educational materials and games, videos and audio programmes
• relevant and appropriate health materials
• contact information for community and government services
• protective services, including access to the national Child Helpline and birth registration services