The Huawei DigiTruck project has certified over 600 Ugandans in the first cohort of digital skills training from the Busoga sub-region. The celebrations were held at Kamuli Youth Center, Kamuli district presided by H.E Maj (rtd) Jessica Alupo, the Vice President of Uganda witnessed by Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, H.E. Zhang Li Zhong; Ambassador of The People’s Republic of China to Uganda, Representative on behalf of Hon. Amongi Betty, Minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development and Representative on behalf of the Minister for Local Government Hon. Raphael Magyezi.
The function was also attended by delegations from Busoga Consortium for Development, Huawei Technologies Uganda Co. Limited, and religious and political leaders in the Busoga sub-region among others.
H.E Jessica Alupo congratulated the first cohort of participants who successfully completed their basic ICT skills training through the Huawei Digitruck project and stated that Huawei Digitruck programs are a great catalyst for Busoga Consortium for Development programs and objectives.
“I am strongly convinced therefore that both Busoga Consortium for Development and Huawei Digitruck programs shall go a long way to galvanize regional regional grassroots coordination of government programs and projects including the Parish Development Model,” said VP, Jessica Alupo.
Alupo commended H.E. Zhang Li Zhong; Ambassador of The People’s Republic of China to Uganda for strengthening the relationship between China and Uganda and for being at the forefront of encouraging companies such as Huawei Technologies to come and work in Uganda.
The Vice President also went on to commend Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga who is the patron of the Busoga Consortium for Development, Ministers and Members of Parliament from the sub-region, members of Busoga Consortium for Development, and foreign entities including Huawei Technologies for their works in the Busoga sub-region.
Huawei through its current CSR activity of the Digitruck Project in partnership with the government is to “leave no one behind” and they are doing so by providing basic ICT skills to as many youth, women, and Jua-Kalis to improve their business functionality and understand the use of ICTs in day to day life.
The First Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga welcomed Huawei to Busoga and took the pleasure to thank the company for training the people of the Busoga region. She further appreciated the Amb. Zhang Li Zhong for responding to H.E. the Vice President’s call for attracting Busoga friends who are also expected to be attracted as a strategic partners in the effort to grow Busoga.
Kadaga called on all those who benefited from the program to carry on ICT as a major to higher levels of education. In her concluding remarks, she said “As Busoga leaders, we shall continue working with the Vice President, the government, and our Chinese friends to promote education knowing what it can do to influence the transformation of communities.
Amb. Zhang Li Zhong praised the government for creating an enabling environment for foreign investors including Huawei to join hands in making their contribution to the social and economic transformation of Uganda, especially in the sectors of infrastructure, ICT, and education. He stated that China is willing to share its experiences with the government and Ugandans about the opportunities, ideas, and solutions provided by Chinese modernization.
Hon. Amongi Betty committed on behalf of the Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development to ensure an enabling environment to support the implementation of the project, create public awareness, and support mobilization & coordination of the local communities to rally participants for increased uptake of the digital learning opportunities.
Hon. Magyezi Raphael on behalf of the Minister of Local Government congratulated the beneficiaries of the Huawei ICT Digitruck project — noting that the consortium program is seen by the Ministry as a vehicle for mobilizing the population towards the ownership and implementation of the Parish Development Model.
While closing the celebrations Xie Qiuxiang, the Managing Director of Huawei Uganda emphasized the vision and mission of Huawei to have an intelligently connected world in alignment with the Huawei Uganda slogan “A Better U for a Better Uganda”. He stated that the company has various CSR activities it has already implemented in Uganda such as the Digitruck Project, ICT Academy, Seeds for the Future, and ICT competitions in the drive of ICT in the country.
“We align with the standard set by the Government of Uganda to ensure that we leave no one behind in ICTs even in the most rural areas of Uganda,” said Qiuxiang — as he congratulated the 600 beneficiaries.
While closing his remarks, Qiuxiang said the DigiTruck project is not only a demonstration of Huawei’s commitment to social responsibility and inclusion but trusts it is also a testament to Uganda’s potential for digital transformation and innovation.
Digitruck Project was officially launched by President Museveni in March and has so far covered districts including Kampala, Jinja, Namutumba, Mayuge, Iganga, Luuka, Namanyago, and Kamuli as they prepare to go to Northern Uganda next week.
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