UN Women hands over ICT equipment to Kigamboni FDC to expand digital opportunities for youth

DAR ES SALAAM: UN Women, with support from the Government of Belgium, has handed over Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment valued at approximately USD 11,000 to Kigamboni Folk Development College (FDC), strengthening the institution’s capacity to provide young people with sustained access to digital learning and skills for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.

The handover formed part of activities commemorating International Youth Day 2026 and underscored the importance of investing in technology, skills development and inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to prepare young people for a rapidly changing world of work.

The new equipment will strengthen Kigamboni FDC’s digital learning centre and expand opportunities for young women and men, including learners enrolled in second-chance education programmes, to acquire practical digital skills. The investment is designed to create a sustainable learning environment where students can continue accessing technology and developing their skills beyond short-term training programmes.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, UN Women Country Representative Ms. Julia Broussard emphasized that access to technology must go hand in hand with creating opportunities for young women and girls to participate in and shape the digital economy.

“Girls and young women must not only have access to the digital world; they must have the skills, confidence and opportunities to shape it,” said Broussard.

She stressed that the true value of the equipment would ultimately depend on how effectively it is used to create opportunities for young people. This includes ensuring its continued use and maintenance, while integrating digital skills into learning so that the investment delivers benefits well beyond the initial programme.

The handover marked the conclusion of a four-day programme at Kigamboni FDC that combined investment in digital infrastructure with practical skills development, mentorship and youth innovation.

In his welcoming remarks, Kigamboni FDC Principal Eng. Ramadhan Simba welcomed the investment, noting that it would strengthen the College’s capacity to provide practical, accessible and consistent digital learning opportunities for students.

“This support comes at an important time as we continue strengthening the quality and reach of training at Kigamboni FDC. The additional equipment will enable us to make fuller use of our digital learning centre and provide students with more consistent, hands-on opportunities to engage with technology as part of their learning,” he said.

Ahead of the handover ceremony, 50 young people from Kigamboni FDC and nearby primary, secondary and high schools participated in a three-day Digital Skills Bootcamp held from 4–6 August.

Through hands-on sessions, participants explored digital literacy and online safety, artificial intelligence, coding, robotics, design thinking and innovation. They then worked in teams to develop and present their own projects, applying the knowledge and skills they had acquired to practical challenges.

The initiative forms part of UN Women’s broader efforts to strengthen women’s economic empowerment and participation in technology and innovation, including through the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), implemented by UN Women with support from the Government of Belgium.

AGCCI equips girls and young women with skills in digital literacy, coding, robotics and innovation, helping to strengthen their participation in the digital economy and create pathways into careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). More than 200 girls have participated in coding camps and digital skills programmes through the initiative.

A defining feature of the Kigamboni programme is its emphasis on sustainability. Rather than limiting the benefits of digital training to a single cohort, the ICT investment is intended to establish a platform through which young people can continue developing digital competencies over time.

This approach also supports Kigamboni FDC’s role in equipping young people with practical competencies that can strengthen their prospects for employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.

Speaking on behalf of the Kigamboni District Commissioner, Ms. Editha Samson welcomed the investment and highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for young people in the district.

“Investments such as this show what can be achieved when government, development partners and training institutions work together around a shared priority. This kind of collaboration is important in creating more opportunities for young people to learn, grow and contribute to their communities,” she said.

The Digital Skills Bootcamp was facilitated in partnership with SheWorks in Tech, a women-led organization established by alumnae of UN Women’s AGCCI-Binti Dijitali programme.

The organization now works with girls and young women through digital literacy programmes, mentorship, technology clubs and skills training. Its evolution demonstrates how investment in one generation of girls can help create opportunities for the next.

At Kigamboni FDC, AGCCI-Binti Dijitali alumnae worked alongside participants during practical sessions in coding, robotics and digital innovation. Their involvement connected investment in individual skills with the creation of sustainable learning opportunities for other young people.

For the participating students, the programme offered more than an introduction to how technology works. It gave them an opportunity to explore how digital tools can be applied to address real-world challenges, develop solutions and create new opportunities.

The investment comes at a time when rapid digital transformation is reshaping opportunities in education, employment and entrepreneurship. However, girls and young women continue to face barriers to participating fully in STEM and technology.

The International Youth Day activities at Kigamboni FDC therefore placed particular emphasis on ensuring that digital transformation is inclusive and accessible, while giving young women the tools, skills, confidence and opportunities needed to participate fully in the digital economy.

By combining ICT infrastructure, practical skills development and mentorship, the initiative seeks to create opportunities that extend well beyond the four-day programme. The long-term objective is to enable Kigamboni FDC to continue providing young people with access to digital learning while strengthening pathways to innovation, entrepreneurship and employment.

Ultimately, the investment reflects a broader lesson: meaningful digital inclusion requires more than providing technology. It requires sustained access, practical skills, supportive learning environments and opportunities for young people, particularly girls and young women to use technology to shape their own futures and contribute to their communities.

The writer is UN Women Communications Officer.