In collaboration with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Huawei Technologies (U) Limited earlier this month unveiled a Smart Village prototype in Buhadyo Village, Butaleja District, to showcase how ICT can drive development and improve lives in hard-to-reach areas.
The project envisions a village where technology bridges the gap between communities and essential services. With a connectivity radius of 8 kilometers (kms), the initiative is expected to bring internet access, solar power, and digital tools to over 100+ residents, a local school, and a health center.
The project is yet to be launched possibly by President Yoweri K. Museveni.
In July last, a team from Huawei Technologies (U) Limited led by Mr. Hover Gao, President of Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa Region met with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to propose the development of the Smart Village.
The President expressed strong support for the project authorizing the company to go ahead with the development and in his words said, “I will come to commission upon completion.”
The project will introduce key infrastructure, including a telecommunications tower to facilitate connectivity, 160 solar pads & panels to provide uninterrupted power, and a smart classroom at Buhadyo Primary School to enhance learning through an e-learning platform. To add, Madungha Health Centre II is also expected to benefit from ICT retooling and solar power integration to improve healthcare delivery.
Beyond connectivity, the project aims to empower the community with digital skills. A Huawei Digitruck, a mobile classroom equipped with digital resources, will train residents, providing them with essential ICT skills.
The project will also include integrating smart agriculture to enhance farming practices with real-time data, e-commerce solutions to open up market opportunities for local businesses, and additional ICT innovations to create more innovative rural communities.
The Smart Village initiative aligns with Uganda’s Parish Development Model (PDM), which seeks to drive socio-economic transformation by decentralizing service delivery to the parish level. By leveraging digital solutions, the project supports the PDM’s goal of integrating rural communities into the monetized economy, creating employment, and enhancing productivity.
The project supports Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap by bridging the digital divide and promoting the adoption of ICT in education, healthcare, and agriculture. It demonstrates how technology can catalyze sustainable development, equipping rural communities with the necessary tools to participate in the digital economy.
See also: ITU Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin applauds Uganda’s digital transformation roadmap
Additionally, the Smart Village is in line with the Digital Uganda Vision 2030, which aims to ensure universal digital access and utilization of ICT to improve the quality of life for Ugandans. Through enhanced connectivity, e-learning, digital skills training, and e-health services, the project contributes to the broader vision of a digitally empowered and inclusive society.
The official launch is scheduled for April, with ongoing stakeholder engagements to ensure the project is scalable and sustainable. Once the pilot phase is completed, the government is expected to explore ways of expanding the model to other regions.
