In a bid to fulfil its mission of restoring hope to disadvantaged children by combating poverty globally through quality education, healthcare, and nutrition, the KIEK foundation has empowered 120 disadvantaged teenagers with ICT skills at the second edition of its Rural Area Children and Teenagers in Information and Communication Technology (Ract-in-ICT) programme.
The event which started on the 9th of August 2021 rounded off with a grand finale in Abuja on Saturday, 21st August 2021.
The Executive Director and Founder of the foundation, Barr. Mrs. Ebele Iyiegbu who couldn’t hide her excitement noted that the programme was borne out of the need to bridge the education gap while creating an entrepreneurial mindset among the disadvantaged in our society using ICT.
“We realised quite early that once young people are empowered with basic ICT skills, they will not only stay off crime because they now have a source of income which now enables them to fend for themselves, they will become employers of labour and in the long run contribute to building the nation’s economy,” she said.
To the delight of the parents and those who were present, the Executive Director announced that five of the most outstanding trainees will be taken on an internship for a period of one year by the KIEK foundation, where they will be mentored and given the opportunity to put into practice all that they have learnt.
One of the beneficiaries of the training, Nancy Gold Agu who recently turned 16 expressed her profound gratitude to the Executive Director and Founder of the foundation, Barr. Mrs. Ebele Iyiegbu, stating that the training has unlocked something in her that she never knew existed.
“Within the space of two weeks, I have learnt for free what some of my friends paid money to learn in a cybercafé around where I live,” she said.
17-year-old Tobi Abdulazeez and 16 years old Favour Daniel also thanked the KIEK foundation for helping them to discover their potential through the training
With the theme, ‘Bridging the Gap through Sustainable ICT Skills’, the RACT-in-ICT programme was designed to empower rural and disadvantaged teenagers with relevant ICT skills needed not only to excel in a competitive world, but also to help them to nurture an entrepreneurial mindset at an early age.
