The Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Hon. Nyombi Thembo, has announced that the organization has started a program to teach ICT (Information and Communication Technology) skills to people with disabilities in Uganda.
He shared this news during a meeting with different partners at the UCC headquarters in Bugolobi, Kampala. The goal is to make sure everyone, including those with disabilities, can access and use communication technologies.
Nyombi explained that UCC wants to make communication accessible for everyone and doesn’t want to leave anyone behind. He said that people with disabilities often face many challenges when it comes to using technology, and UCC is working hard to find solutions that can help them.
The ICT training program started four years ago under a project called the Universal Access Fund, which Nyombi himself manages. UCC is working together with the Uganda National Union of Disabled Persons (NUDIPU) and Eight Tech Consults to make this project a success.
A study done in 2022 showed many areas that needed improvement. Based on this, a three-year partnership was created to fix these issues and help more people with disabilities benefit from digital technology.
Nyombi also said the government is committed to helping people with disabilities use ICT tools to improve their lives. This effort is part of larger national plans, like the National Development Plan III and the Digital Transformation Roadmap (2023–2028), which aim to give all Ugandans digital skills and access to online services.
So far, UCC has achieved several things through this project, including:
- Creating profiles for over 40,000 people with disabilities.
- Setting up digital tools for basic mobile phone users.
3.Training more than 10,000 people with disabilities in ICT, - Helping create websites for disability unions in 35 districts.
Professor Jude Lubega, Director of Eight Tech Consults, praised the partnership with UCC. He said the project has helped people with disabilities learn ICT skills, use online services, and feel more included. He emphasized that digital inclusion should be seen as a right, not a privilege.
He also pointed out that 4.5 million Ugandans (about 12.4% of the population) live with disabilities and face many barriers, like limited access to technology and digital services. This project aims to change that.
