* Orange Digital Center programs are meant to enhance youth digital, technological skills * Centre targets all youths aged 17-35 years old * ODC targets enrolling 500 students for the July-December 23
The major challenge that spoiled the inaugural graduation of the multimillion Pula Botswana Orange Digital Centre (ODC), which presents strategic technology programs to youth free of charge, is that many dropped out of class due to lack of transport fares, WRITES DIKARABO RAMADUBU.
The Centre is the first of its kind in the country. It is a one-way stop for all Orange youth programs meant to enhance youth digital and technological skills, as well as improve their entrepreneurial capabilities.
Since its establishment last year November 2022, the centre has trained 263 students - of which more than 73 percent were young women - in coding, fabrication and digital embroidery who graduated last Thursday.
The numbers could have been more if some of the students did not drop out due to financial disadvantages. The Centre uses social media to invite students to register for classes with the target age group from 18 to 35 but can accept students outside this age group as it was the case when there were a few women retirees.
The ODC is the 13th out of the 16 within the Orange Group. It was established subsequent to the group donating P9 million to Orange Botswana to set it up. The amount covered putting up the building in a state to host the ODC, purchasing of machinery, works necessary and payment of trainers among others.
The objective is to enhance digital skills of local graduates to improve their chance of employment. A digital centre brings together under one roof, programs that capacitate and upskill the youth with digital skills, as well as help develop their entrepreneurship acumen, through coaching, mentoring and financial support.
In an interview with Botswana Guardian, Orange Botswana Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, Lepata Mafa-Nthomola said all is going well thus far, but the challenge is that because the programme includes unemployed youths, most of them start, but some drop out of class along the way because they do not have transport fares to continue with their classes.
“So for us the biggest challenge is how to get all students who enrolled to be available at all times until they complete their respective courses and graduate,” as this has proven not possible in the seven months of operation.
The good news though is this has not in any way affected Orange to increase the intake. Mafa-Nthomola revealed that for the next half year intake which runs from July to December 2023, Orange Digital Centre is targeting to train 500 students. This means they are going to add more classes for each category.
The centre offers the following programs Coding School: a technology centre that offers free technical and soft skills training. The training helps young people develop software, applications, games, websites, and robotics. The projects could address or have social impact or it could be games and entertainment for the developer community and young entrepreneurs.
It targets students, graduates and out of school youths, young entrepreneurs and young professionals. Students who are still studying could serve internship at the centre as part of their studies. For unemployed graduates they can receive practical skills to augment what they learned at school.
Fabrication Laboratory (fablab) - a digital manufacturing space to create and prototype with digital equipment, including, 3D printers, milling machines and laser cutters among others targets students, young graduates and young entrepreneurs.
Start Up Accelerator is a start-up accelerator that mentor start-ups and prepares them for commercial launch both nationally and internationally, this could be in partnership with Orange Botswana or Orange Group.
Digital Centre Clubs/Coding clubs at universities - the Digital centre partners with universities/learning institutions offering training and supporting students at their own institutions. Not all students will have access to the digital centre, therefore this program takes the ODC to the students.
In addition to University clubs this section does outreach missions to both primary and secondary schools training them on coding and robotics to create and build interest in innovation on young minds; Target: university students, youth clubs primary and secondary schools.
Mafa-Nthomola also said ODC inclusion programme, which is a cause very close to Orange Botswana has had country-wide impact in the Digital schools, as well as Women’s Digital Centres. To date 55 primary schools in remote areas have benefitted from the Orange Digital School Programme through donation of tablets, servers, headsets, and laptops.
"We have been able to empower women through the set-up of six Women Digital Centres in different villages across the country including in Molepolole, Mabele, Phikwe, Maun, Kazungula, and Ghanzi.
The Centre is the first of its kind in the country. It is a one-way stop for all Orange youth programs meant to enhance youth digital and technological skills, as well as improve their entrepreneurial capabilities.
Since its establishment last year November 2022, the centre has trained 263 students - of which more than 73 percent were young women - in coding, fabrication and digital embroidery who graduated last Thursday.
The numbers could have been more if some of the students did not drop out due to financial disadvantages. The Centre uses social media to invite students to register for classes with the target age group from 18 to 35 but can accept students outside this age group as it was the case when there were a few women retirees.
The ODC is the 13th out of the 16 within the Orange Group. It was established subsequent to the group donating P9 million to Orange Botswana to set it up. The amount covered putting up the building in a state to host the ODC, purchasing of machinery, works necessary and payment of trainers among others.
The objective is to enhance digital skills of local graduates to improve their chance of employment. A digital centre brings together under one roof, programs that capacitate and upskill the youth with digital skills, as well as help develop their entrepreneurship acumen, through coaching, mentoring and financial support.
In an interview with Botswana Guardian, Orange Botswana Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, Lepata Mafa-Nthomola said all is going well thus far, but the challenge is that because the programme includes unemployed youths, most of them start, but some drop out of class along the way because they do not have transport fares to continue with their classes.
“So for us the biggest challenge is how to get all students who enrolled to be available at all times until they complete their respective courses and graduate,” as this has proven not possible in the seven months of operation.
The good news though is this has not in any way affected Orange to increase the intake. Mafa-Nthomola revealed that for the next half year intake which runs from July to December 2023, Orange Digital Centre is targeting to train 500 students. This means they are going to add more classes for each category.
The centre offers the following programs Coding School: a technology centre that offers free technical and soft skills training. The training helps young people develop software, applications, games, websites, and robotics. The projects could address or have social impact or it could be games and entertainment for the developer community and young entrepreneurs.
It targets students, graduates and out of school youths, young entrepreneurs and young professionals. Students who are still studying could serve internship at the centre as part of their studies. For unemployed graduates they can receive practical skills to augment what they learned at school.
Fabrication Laboratory (fablab) - a digital manufacturing space to create and prototype with digital equipment, including, 3D printers, milling machines and laser cutters among others targets students, young graduates and young entrepreneurs.
Start Up Accelerator is a start-up accelerator that mentor start-ups and prepares them for commercial launch both nationally and internationally, this could be in partnership with Orange Botswana or Orange Group.
Digital Centre Clubs/Coding clubs at universities - the Digital centre partners with universities/learning institutions offering training and supporting students at their own institutions. Not all students will have access to the digital centre, therefore this program takes the ODC to the students.
In addition to University clubs this section does outreach missions to both primary and secondary schools training them on coding and robotics to create and build interest in innovation on young minds; Target: university students, youth clubs primary and secondary schools.
Mafa-Nthomola also said ODC inclusion programme, which is a cause very close to Orange Botswana has had country-wide impact in the Digital schools, as well as Women’s Digital Centres. To date 55 primary schools in remote areas have benefitted from the Orange Digital School Programme through donation of tablets, servers, headsets, and laptops.
"We have been able to empower women through the set-up of six Women Digital Centres in different villages across the country including in Molepolole, Mabele, Phikwe, Maun, Kazungula, and Ghanzi.
