UICT equips visually impaired people with digital skills

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The Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT), in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has concluded a pioneering digital training programme titled Introduction to Computer Basics for the Visually Impaired (ICBVI).

The initiative, implemented under the Digital Transformation Centres Initiative, trained 30 participants, including visually impaired learners, partially sighted individuals, and their sighted assistants, in foundational ICT skills.

During the official closure of the programme held at UICT in Kampala on Wednesday, Dr. Fredrick E. Kitoogo, the principal of the institute, hailed the training as a “significant milestone” in the national drive for inclusive digital transformation.

“This is more than a training. It is a declaration that digital skills are a human right, and that a truly inclusive digital transformation is not only possible but necessary,” Dr. Kitoogo said, noting that “Inclusion is not a slogan at UICT, it is a practice.”

The training drew international expertise, with instructors including Prof. Cristian Bernareggi and Roobi Roobi from Italy, and Sada Kaane from Senegal’s Digital Transformation Centre (DTC), leading sessions.

Dr. Kitoogo praised the trio for their “tireless dedication and professionalism,” which he said had profoundly impacted the trainees.

Prof. Bernareggi, the lead trainer, said that digital capacity remains low for people living with disabilities, putting them at a disadvantage in accessing digital services and finding meaningful employment.

“There's a scarcity of educators trained in both 1CT and inclusive teaching methods for learners with visual impairments and limited access to assistive technologies such as screen readers and braille displays, especially in rural areas,” Prof. Bernareggi remarked.

Responding to National Needs

Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, who was also the chief guest at the event, applauded the initiative as a direct response to Uganda’s increasing need for inclusive digital skills training.

“Today, we are not merely recognising a training; we are celebrating empowerment, inclusion, and resilience,” Dr. Zawedde stated.

She cited key statistics from the 2023 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) survey by Sightsavers International, which revealed that 0.4% of Ugandans (approximately 160,000 people) are blind, while 7% (2.8 million) suffer moderate to severe visual impairment.

Moreover, 14% of persons aged 5 and older in Uganda live with some form of disability, with difficulty in seeing being the most common type at 7.2%.

“This training directly responds to the pressing national need to equip our visually impaired community with the digital skills critical for thriving in today’s economy,” Dr. Zawedde emphasised.

Institution’s Policy Commitments

Dr. Kitoogo outlined UICT’s Strategic Action Plan aimed at addressing structural barriers that hinder ICT access for people with disabilities.

Key interventions include allocating dedicated budgets for assistive technologies, developing accessible digital infrastructure and training content, enhancing trainer capacity through mentorship models, creating a Digital Accessibility Taskforce, partnering with global tech providers for affordable or donated tools and launching national awareness campaigns in collaboration with organisations like NUDIPU and UNAB.

UICT also plans to advocate for the adoption of national ICT accessibility standards and establish a Digital Inclusion Endowment Fund to ensure sustainability.

Dr. Zawedde reiterated the government’s policy support for disability inclusion, citing several milestones, including the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2020, which guarantees accessible ICT services and education, and the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the AU Protocol on disability rights.

She also cited other interventions like tax exemptions on assistive technologies, special quotas for students with disabilities in public universities, National Special Grant for persons with disabilities, accessibility mandates for TV programming and Uganda’s ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty, ensuring access to published works for persons with visual impairments.

“This initiative is proof that, with collaboration, vision, and compassion, we can close the digital gaps that have historically excluded many from fully participating in modern society,” she noted.

National Digital Roadmap

The ICBVI training aligns with Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, which aspires to achieve 95% universal internet access, 80% digital literacy among citizens, one device per household, and 100% online availability of government services.

“We believe that no one should be left behind as we accelerate toward a future defined by innovation, access, and opportunity for all citizens,” Dr. Zawedde affirmed.

She highlighted that the program’s “Train-the-Trainers” (ToTs) model is particularly critical in multiplying the impact, as the visually impaired trainees are now equipped to pass on the skills to others, enhancing personal livelihoods and national productivity.

Parish Development Model, Economic Empowerment

Dr. Zawedde also highlighted how the Parish Development Model (PDM) integrates disability inclusion by allocating 10% of PDM funds to Persons with Disabilities, including the visually impaired.

This aims to empower them economically at the grassroots level through access to microfinance and participation in local development projects.

Both Dr. Kitoogo and Dr. Zawedde emphasised that digital empowerment must be intentional and inclusive. “With the right skills and the right support, disability is not inability,” Dr. Kitoogo stressed.

“You are now ambassadors of digital inclusion, equipped to teach others, shape communities, and contribute to Uganda’s national vision of a knowledge-based economy,” Dr. Zawedde told the trainees.