DTC Zambia at a glance
SMART Zambia Institute (SZI) is a division under the office of the President mandated to coordinate and implement e-government for citizens, businesses and within government for improved service delivery. It aims to improve and update ICT infrastructure and to train public service employees and citizens in the use of new technologies.
SZI has delivered training of public employees and is building its capacity to train citizens on basic digital skills. A central component of its strategy is to build communication infrastructure across 81 districts and 200 local campus networks, as well as equipping them with ICT devices. In 2021, ITU, Cisco, SMART Zambia Institute and Airtel Zambia, joined forces to deliver digital skills training to 150 girls in marginalized communities across three provinces.
DTC news and stories
ITU and Norway support DTC Zambia to equip more than 240 cooperative members across 6 localities with basic and intermediate digital skills
As part of their on-going support to the Digital Transformation Centres (DTCs) through the Project “Boosting digital skills through Digital Transformation Centres”, ITU and the Norwegian Government funded SMART Zambia Institute (SZI)’s latest digital literacy programme for citizens. From 15 July to 26 September 2024, the DTC in Zambia conducted a series of training activities across the six (6) localities of Mongu, Mumbwa, Chipata, Chibombo, Kafue and Choma, reaching 243 beneficiaries (56 per cent of which were female) in total. The sessions were designed for members of cooperatives and brought together women, out-of-school youth and elderly people based in rural and underserved areas. Through this programme, SZI aimed to provide beneficiaries with basic digital skills, focusing on essential computer literacy, Internet usage, cybersecurity and digital communication. Activities were implemented by the DTC in close collaboration with local entities, governmental bodies, and corporate benefactors.
Although the activity was designed and delivered as a citizens training, each training cohort participant has committed to train five (5) members from his/her respective cooperative. SZI relies on this scaling model to ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired can be effectively cascaded within cooperatives and to maximise the programme’s impact within communities. As a follow-up to the training, SZI will be organising evaluation sessions to monitor and assess the progress made by participants in transferring their skills and enhancing digital literacy in their cooperatives.
DTC-Zambia continues to raise awareness on the DTC Initiative and mobilise stakeholders nationwide
Following the first stakeholder engagement workshop held in Lusaka in July 2023, SMART Zambia Institute (SZI) brought together national and international stakeholders for a second workshop held in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, on 13 October 2023. The workshop was conducted with the support of ITU and Cisco and aimed to maximise engagement and foster collaborative efforts among stakeholders to contribute to the effective implementation of the DTC Initiative in Zambia. Representatives of 14 potential stakeholder institutions from the Government, the private sector (including telecommunication companies), Academia, and civil society organizations, shared feedback on how to address existing challenges through strategic partnerships and increased stakeholder involvement. Discussion outcomes included the decision to establish training centres in local markets through the Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMA) in Lusaka, and to establish a local centre at the District Commissioners office in Lusaka. As a way forward, SZI will continue to work closely with prospective local training centres on the appointment of Digital Ambassadors to ensure community mobilisation through awareness-raising campaigns.
DTC-Zambia brings stakeholders together for a workshop on the DTC Initiative in Ndola
On 28 July 2023, SMART Zambia Institute (SZI) conducted a stakeholder engagement workshop on the implementation of the Digital Transformation Centres Initiative in Ndola, Zambia, with the support of ITU and Cisco. The workshop was organised to raise awareness on the DTC Initiative, propose strategies for collaborative stakeholder engagement and to define the specific responsibilities of stakeholders in implementing activities under the DTCI. Discussions touched upon current challenges faced in the implementation of the Initiative and how to address these gaps through strategic partnerships and increased stakeholder involvement. The event brought together stakeholders from various ministries and government agencies, as well as representatives of telecommunication companies and institutions of higher learning. Representatives of Cisco and ITU participated in the session remotely.
ITU and its partners deliver digital skills training to girls in underprivileged communities in Zambia
ITU together with its partners, Cisco, Smart Zambia Institute and Airtel Zambia, joined forces to deliver digital skills training to 150 girls in underprivileged communities across three provinces in Zambia.
The training was delivered under the ITU Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative and rolled out in three cohorts of 50 girls each, taking place in Lusaka Province (27 September – 6 October 2021), Southern Province (10 – 19 November 2021) and Copperbelt Province (1 – 10 December 2021). It is designed to equip the girls with basic and intermediate digital skills, inspire them and make them understand the opportunities and benefits of undertaking technology studies for their future careers.
The training took place in the premises of the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and was specifically tailored for a young audience, with some of the girls that had never used a computer before. The training covered a range of topics starting with the basics of how to use a computer and basics of hardware and software, to the introduction to Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity.
The training was designed to create a path for development for the girls, therefore the top 5 girls of each group will have the opportunity to access more advanced training. Thanks to the partnership with Airtel Zambia, they have already benefitted from mentorship programmes held in Airtel’s premises.
This has been a wonderful experience as we have learnt so much. Inspired by the slogan ‘KAZIpower’ (girl power), we look forward to having more opportunities like this in the near future and hope that many more girls in Zambia will get to experience what we have experienced, emphasized one of the girls after the second training in Livingstone, Southern Province.