Stephen shares his experience as a member of the U-TOUCH Digital Library Center in Gulu, Uganda: This is Stephen and I’d like to talk about how the U-TOUCH Digital Library Center, Gulu has benefited me. First of all, I would like to say I completely had no knowledge of what a computer is, in fact I had never even touched a computer since I was born and never thought of learning and using one some day. It was not until, the U-TOUCH project came in place and set up the Digital Library Centers here in northern Uganda that I got the opportunity to learn computer skills and at the moment, I really have substantial knowledge in computer skills and that has greatly impacted my life positively in a number of ways.

Having learned computer, and as a student in school, I realized that learning could be made easier with the use of computers and through the internet in particular and I’m so delighted to say I was able to frequently use the U-TOUCH Digital Library Center for my studies and it was not surprising that I was able to pass my high school leaving exams with really good and impressing grades, actually I emerged the best Arts student from my class in my subject combination of History, Economics, Geography and Entrepreneurship Education. After that, I got the opportunity to apply for University education and got admitted at Gulu university for a public administration course.

Still at the university I’m very much able to utilize the resource center for doing my assignments and course works utilizing the free internet access. So many of my friends and students from Gulu university have also been able to use the U-TOUCH Digital Library Center for research and study purposes and really they appreciate so much the services U-TOUCH is offering to the community in Gulu and other parts of the region. At the university, I’m able to do very well in class assignments and also exams as I can easily use a computer at the center for studying.

Besides that, I also got in touch with so many friends online and with the student to student connections and also the ementoring program, I have really gotten to learn and share lots of experiences with friends abroad especially in the states. I really hope these kinds of connection would in the long run become useful tools to students and other members of the community in Uganda as they get to share experiences of life and gain skills in their respective areas of interests. At the center still, I got to learn other enrichment skills being offered by U-TOUCH Digital Library center in Gulu and other centers in the region which include; job skills especially tips of creating attractive resume/CVs, writing application letters among others.

Also I learnt health tips and also attended the village savings and loans association training which has enable me to learn something about the need for saving wisely for future use and what is required to come up with such VSLA groups, it’s rules and regulations and so forth. Also very important is peace conferencing program that has really given me the skills in addressing problems and conflicts in the community and the world at large. I hope with all these skills I have gotten to learn from the U-TOUCH Digital Library Center, I would grow a responsible citizen and be able to work with self reliance utilizing all the great skills I have got to solve immediate problems around me.

“Long Live U-TOUCH!”

Stephen

Click the Link Below  to Watch Stephen’s Testimony

https://youtu.be/Cu4tsO4QmsE

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