DTC Sierra Leone at a glance
Bridge the Digital Divide – Sierra Leone (BDDSL) is an NGO based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, whose primary mandate is to contribute to spreading the benefits of digital technology in Sierra Leone by providing free-of-charge equipment, digital tools, and digital skills training programmes at national and local level. In particular, BDDSL is responsible for deploying the ST Foundation (a partner of the DTC Initiative) Digital Unify (DU) programme in the country and has been actively implementing digital skills training through its 45 operational DU labs across the country. In addition to its capacity development interventions, BDDSL continues to establish, equip, and connect local training centres with the support of ST Foundation and local stakeholders. Since its inception in 2009, the NGO has trained over 265,000 Sierra Leoneans in digital skills.
DTC Sierra Leone conducts awareness raising and train-the-trainer activities with support from ITU and ST Foundation
Bridge the Digital Divide Sierra Leone (BDDSL), the latest centre to have joined the DTC network, conducted an awareness raising campaign and a digital skills train-the-trainer programme in the Kambia district, with funding support from the ITU Regional Office for Africa and ST Foundation. The 1-week campaign was implemented from 30 September to 4 October 2024 and aimed to raise awareness on the importance of digital skills for community development as well as to encourage residents of Kambia to participate in upcoming citizens training activities to be held between October and December in four local training centres in the district. As part of the Campaign, DTC Sierra Leone engaged with various local stakeholders such as local radio stations and the Motorcycle Drivers Union who contributed to disseminating the information and messages across the chiefdoms. Following the campaign, BDDSL organised a three-day training of trainers in October to enhance the skills of trainers in informatics and computer basics and to equip them with the necessary knowledge to effectively deliver digital literacy courses and programmes in their respective communities. The training brought together 23 educators and community leaders from seven local training centers of the Kambia District, who were selected based on their teaching experience and potential to create a positive impact in their communities. The training featured lectures, hands-on workshops, group discussions and practical demonstrations. Throughout the sessions, participants were encouraged to engage actively and share their experiences. Feedback sessions were held at the end of each day to assess understanding and gather suggestions for improvement.
