“Liquid Telecom has changed me a lot, I have become more of a different person than I was two years back.” – Omphemetse Neethline Khuduge
By Milani Falitenjwa
Author, Matshona Dhliwayo once said, “Today’s tears water tomorrow’s gardens.”
One might easily say that this quote brings to light, a common phrase which states that things get better with time, but there is more to it. In South Africa, we are currently facing the most significant pandemics in our South African history: a lack of education & unemployment.
In this article, we shed light on upskilling and educating the youth and how it has changed an individual’s life.
The Liquid Telecom YES program started on the 28th of February 2020 and will be ending on the 28th of February 2021. The program’s purpose was to educate 32 young individuals with Office administration and IT software skills. Despite the various setbacks caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the program has been an enormous success.
The program provided one-year work experience where the youth were placed at schools to assist with Google Computer Science Facilitation and workplace experience in administration and other roles. During the one year, the youth was exposed to beneficial courses, namely: Microsoft Office, Work Readiness, Introduction to Coding and the internationally recognized IT Essentials by Cisco. These courses were not merely a way of educating the youth, but it also served to up-skill them for the fast-emerging virtual world, we know as technology.
Candidates receiving training in the North West by ORT trainer, Thembinkosi Ndlovu
Omphemetse Neethline Khuduge, a beneficiary, had this to say about her experience with the program: The Liquid Telecom project has changed me a lot. I have become more of a different person than I was two years back. I obtained knowledge that will help me as an IT Technician.
When asked about the project results thus far, Rivario Abrahams had this to say: Firstly, this project has changed the youth’s thinking ability and I feel that they have gained a lot of knowledge in the twelve months of this program. Some of them have learned to invest their money, and others have opened their small businesses. It was a great experience managing the project and the youth.
The familiar & commonly used phrase, actions speak louder than words, has triumphed in this program because ORT SA has equipped the youth for a better tomorrow in coalition with Liquid Telecom.
