Omar builds digital skills for social change
This Amala Impact Story was produced by students from St Joseph’s Institution International (SJII), Amala partner school.
Omar, who is originally from Sudan, arrived in Kakuma camp in Kenya in 2014. In 2021, Omar enrolled in an Amala Changemaker Course, Ethical Leadership, and in January 2024, completed the Amala Global Secondary Diploma.
Omar’s main interest lies in technology and the development of vital digital skills in a world where nearly everyone has access to technology. He is particularly interested in how digital skills can be used to bring about social change within his community. Currently, Omar is working with Global Innovation Valley (GIV), a grassroots, refugee-led community network initiative founded by another Amala alumnus, as an ICT and Digital Learning Coordinator for the Kalobeyei sector.
Becoming a changemaker
Through the 10-week Ethical Leadership course, Omar learnt how to communicate effectively with those around him and work with many different types of people. He also learnt how to break down big problems into small problems which could be worked on and solved.
When one of the facilitators Amala suggested that Omar join the third cohort of the Global Secondary Diploma, Omar jumped at the chance, as he could envision himself at Amala and saw that others in Kakuma camp had benefited from Amala courses.
Start where you can, start at home
As part of the Personal Interest Project (PIP) component of the 15-month Global Secondary Diploma, Omar focused on combining his interest in two courses - Making Societal Change and Science for Change - to develop Digital Skills for Change training workshops for youth in Kakuma camp. He learnt how to consult the community to identify a problem which he could address through his project.
Omar’s workshops teach basic, intermediate and advanced technological skills related to navigating social media, writing emails and accessing online courses. He works in partnership with a local community based organisation in Kakuma and reaches around 20 boys and girls at a time. Omar uses these workshops to reach young people who have either dropped out of school or have had limited access to school. He sees the workshops as a tool to expand worlds, highlighting the opportunities available for young people.
The challenges
One major challenge related to Omar’s workshops is the availability of devices. While all students have access to mobile phones, laptops are limited, and students need to share. There is also a need for support to help run and expand the reach of these workshops. Omar hopes in the future that there will be a ripple effect, with more of those trained reaching out to others in other villages to expand the impact of his workshops.
Omar’s dreams for his future
Omar hopes one day to be able to set up a large centre for digital skills which can be used by people across all of the the three villages in Kalobeyei, to develop his community with digital skills to make life-changing impacts. Through his work with Global Innovation Valley, Omar says that he has developed the knowledge and skills to carry out digital workshops to unlock young refugees' potential and hands-on skills that can lead to future career opportunities for them.
Ultimately, Omar wants to use his passion to work with the United Nations, using technology to change living conditions. One of his biggest dreams for his future is to return to his homeland - Sudan - to pass on his digital skills so that young people affected by the war are able to learn, grow, and become digitally literate.
“I left my heart in Sudan, I want to go back and take this knowledge to Sudan, where the war has affected so many people.”
Omar (far right) with the alumni from Global Innovation Valley