NAIROBI, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Over 100 young technology leaders from Kenya have graduated from China's tech giant Huawei-sponsored training aimed at enhancing their digital skills, preparing them for a pivotal role in the country's envisioned knowledge-based economy.
The graduation ceremony, held late Saturday in Nairobi, the country's capital, marked the successful completion of the Huawei DigiTruck program by 180 youth. The event was attended by lawmakers, community leaders, business executives, and innovators.
Khadija Mohammed Ahmed, media director of Huawei Technologies Kenya, said that the graduates not only gained advanced information and communications technology (ICT) skills but also showed passion and dedication to contributing to the growth of Kenya's digital economy.
"This is not just a graduation; it is the beginning of a new chapter for these talented people," Ahmed said in a statement released Sunday in Nairobi. "Through the Huawei ICT Academy, they now have access to global opportunities that will help them continue growing and innovating in the ICT field."
Launched in 2019 under Huawei's TECH4ALL initiative, the DigiTruck is a mobile, solar-powered classroom equipped with internet access, laptops, and smartphones. It travels to remote communities, offering free ICT training to youth across Kenya.
The latest cohort of graduates acquired skills in cloud computing, coding, and digital literacy, demonstrating their problem-solving abilities.
Maureen Mwaniki, public affairs director at Huawei Technologies Kenya, emphasized that improving digital skills would enable local youth to secure sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their communities.
"We encourage all young people to continue learning and upskilling, exploring new areas of growth as emerging technologies take center stage in our increasingly digital world," Mwaniki said.
John Kiarie, a lawmaker representing Nairobi's Dagoretti constituency, praised the partnership between the government and industry stakeholders like Huawei, which is enhancing digital literacy among the youth and increasing their employability.
Kiarie also noted that the Huawei DigiTruck program has created a vast pool of highly skilled youth ready to drive transformation across key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and finance. ■
