By Mark Kawalya
Koboko district is set to benefit from the renovation of Koboko Resource Center in West Nile and the installation of ICT equipment by MTN Foundation. The telecom, through its foundation, has injected more than UGX85 million into the renovation of the center. This included repairs to the physical structure and setting up a computer lab with 10 computers that are connected to high-speed internet with a one-year free data plan. The computers have been set up with power stablizing technology and a set of battery packs to ensure an uninterrupted power supply.
The Koboko Resource Center was founded in 1999 and is the only public library that was built to meet the educational needs of students in Koboko, Yumbe and Maracha. Peterlee Guma, the manager of the center, says that the information center had for many years operated under dilapidated structures and the general public had expressed discontentment over the lack of basic ICT equipment that could be used for advanced education research.
“People used to complain about the lack of computers, especially when they wanted to look for information on the internet beyond the hardcopy books we had at the facility. We received numerous demands from students from surrounding universities for computers and internet services, but we couldn’t offer that service,” he narrated.
Samuel Gitta, the MTN Uganda General Manager Risk and Compliance, while speaking during the handover, said MTN wanted to be part of the solution by transforming the lives of the people of the area through information access.
“MTN’s decision to enhance the operations of Koboko Resource Center is anchored on our belief that everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits of a modern, connected life. It has also become apparent that ICT is a critical aspect embedded in our lives today, as the world transitions to digital, accelerated even more by the emergence of COVID-19 two years ago. Therefore, it is paramount that we all have the ability to employ ICT skills in our day-to-day lives to ensure we are not left behind,” Gitta noted.
