Uganda

WCIT 2010

Elizabeth Mukasa from Uganda awarded with WCIT 2010 Award for IT platform

The most significant role model and therefore the winner of the ‘ WCIT 2010 Give Challenge a Change Award’ is Elizabeth Mukasa. Mrs. Mukasa developed a platform that is qualitative, integrated and affordable in Uganda. To enhance meaningful inclusion she innovated localized elearning materials in local language (luganda) appropriate to the understanding of their target groups. Tuition fees were minimal and sometimes zero to the vulnerable women students. The usage of her platform helped entrepreneurs to set up their businesses. On top of this Mrs. Mukasa helped over 100 people to connect in order to improve accessibility to digital and information technology, thereby making a valuable contribution to bridging the Digital Divide.

Beste Examples

During WCIT 2010 delegates addressed global impact issues regarding economic and social development and exchange policies and ideas on how ICT can enable change and innovation in all parts of the world. For that reason the organization wanted to highlight the best example at this congress that embodies the heart of the congress. Mrs. Mukasa: “While I do appreciate this, the question remains how can Africa be helped to bridge the digital divide basically caused by the velocity of technology development? Special thanks to the eInclusion track secretary Olivier Zwolsman who ensured my presence. It was a great honor for me and my nation Uganda. Africa continues to depend on friends like you.”

WCIT 2010

Mrs. Mukasa receives a cheque from CEO WCIT 2010 Mr. Ralph van Hessen

About Elizabeth Mukasa

At the age of 45 Mrs. Mukasa studied IT Diploma at Lewisham College (UK) beating the barriers age and gender. Here she was astonished by internet connectivity so she felt pity for Africa exclusion. In 2008 she spearheaded the development of an eInclusion pragmatic model in Uganda. Today, over 250 participants – rural-urban, men and women with or without formal education had successfully accessed the IT literacy inclusion model through OLC – a positive indicator of einclusion in practice. The targeted Sme’s contribute to 80% of Uganda economy. Elizabeth is born in Kampala (Uganda) in 1956.

About the World Congress on Information Technology

The World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) is regarded as one of the world’s most influential conferences on IT. WCIT is the flagship of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), a consortium of IT branch organizations from across the world whose members represent over 90% of the global IT market. The 17th edition of the conference was held in the RAI exhibition complex in Amsterdam from May 25th to 27th 2010. The congress is an official event organized under the auspices of the Spanish EU presidency. It is supported by the European Commission and hosted by the Dutch IT branch organization, ICT~Office, in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Amsterdam City Council. The main commercial partners are Capgemini, Intel, KPN, IBM, Microsoft, UPC, Xerox and KPMG.