Over a million refugees in Uganda will be given the opportunity to upskill online, improving both digital and non-digital skills. The Ugandan Permanent Secretary for ICT and National Guidance informed the public of the five-year Universal Digital Acceleration Program, which starts on 1 July 2023 and aims to offer skills training classes, particularly related to the online business needs of the labour market.
In partnership with the World Bank, the Ugandan government is to provide refugee communities in the country with the infrastructure needed to facilitate internet access and the online operations of the skills training programme. As of now, the government, in concert with the Ugandan Scale Industries Association and Centenary Industries Limited, have already raised USh 15 million ($4000USD) to offset the costs of expanding the computer lab at Refugee and Hope International, the largest non-profit refugee home in Kampala. The centre offers documented refugees with skills training in the areas of language and entrepreneurship. It also offers counselling to those affected by trauma.
Uganda is home to an estimated 1.5 million refugees, the largest population of refugees on the continent of Africa.