Concept is an NGO based in Senegal, with the mandate to bridge the digital divide and empower underserved communities, Concept has been delivering basic and intermediate digital skills training in nationwide. The NGO is closely collaborating with ST Foundation (a partner of the DTC Initiative) to implement its Digital Unify (DU) programme across the country. In addition to capacity development, Concept works to establish, equip, and connect local training centres, with the support of local stakeholders.
DTC Senegal trains 200 visually impaired citizens on computer basics through the DTC Project
Concept, the DTC in Senegal, concluded an extensive training on computer basics for visually impaired citizens based in the municipalities of Kolda, Guediawaye, Ziguinchor and Biscuiterie. The activity was made possible through the DTC Project “Boosting digital skills through Digital Transformation Centres”, funded by ITU and the Government of Norway, and with the contribution of ST Foundation through their course on “Introduction to Computer Basics for the Visually Impaired” (ICBVI). The three-week programme took place in the four localities between August and December 2024, and reached a total of 200 visually impaired beneficiaries, of whom 41 per cent were women. The ICBVI course relies on low-cost assistive technologies for education and uses various training delivery approaches, scenarios and modalities. Participants learned how to use a keyboard, write e-mails and use basic Microsoft Office applications, and gained not only the ability to interact with computers, but also the confidence to continue their journey and experience with the digital world. As a way forward, Concept will be organising refresher sessions in each of the centres where the training took place, to provide learners with additional opportunities to practice the knowledge and skills acquired.
ITU supports DTC Senegal to train visually impaired instructors and citizens in Kolda
From 8 to 26 July 2024, , the DTC in Senegal, conducted a three-week train-the-trainer programme to roll-out the course on “Introduction to Computer Basics for the Visually impaired” (ICBVI) in Kolda, Senegal. With the support of ITU and the Government of Norway through the Project “Boosting Digital Skills through Digital Transformation Centres” as well as ST Foundation, the DTC was able to bring the ICBVI course into an untapped region.
The ICBVI course is designed to include a train-the-trainer component, through which Concept trained four trainers – two visually impaired instructors and two sighted facilitators -, and a citizens training component for trainers to practice the skills learned with a group of 10 (five female) visually impaired citizens from Kolda. The course focused on basic computer skills to allow learners to use the keyboard, access the Internet, write an e-mail and use basic applications for word processing or simple calculations.
Alongside the training activities, Concept undertook several outreach activities and benefited from the presence and support of local authorities (mayor’s office, local associations), which will contribute to raising awareness on the importance of digital skills training for persons with visual impairment and ensuring sustainability and scalability within the province.
Over the next few months, Concept will continue the roll-out of the ICBVI course in Ziguinchor, Guediwaye and Kolda, by conducting refresher sessions for existing trainers and cascading the training to citizens.
