Amatha Tech Launches Three-Year Program to Train 156 Digital Literacy Ambassadors in Karongi

Amatha Tech, in partnership with Internet Society Rwanda Chapter and several technology organizations, has launched an ambitious three-year Digital Literacy Volunteering Program aimed at training 156 youth as digital skills trainers who will subsequently reach over 3,900 community members across Karongi District.

The Digital Literacy Volunteering Program, operating under Amatha Tech's Digital Empowerment Hub, addresses a critical gap in Karongi District where only 14.8 percent of households have at least one member using the internet, with rural access as low as 11.9 percent despite Rwanda's national digital literacy rate of 75.2 percent according to the National Institute of Statistics.

Train-the-Trainer Model

The program follows a cohort-based model running over three years, with two cohorts annually. Each cohort comprises 26 youth volunteers representing all 13 sectors of Karongi District, ensuring geographic coverage across the district's population of 374,319. Following a two-day training provided to 100 Karongi citizens on digital safety last year, the program's second cohort begins this month, implementing a comprehensive six-month training cycle.

The training unfolds in three phases. During the initial three months, volunteers receive intensive instruction covering core digital literacy skills, ICT fundamentals, facilitation and adult learning methodologies, online safety and cybersecurity awareness, and community engagement ethics. The subsequent month focuses on mentorship, project ideation, and financial education, equipping participants with entrepreneurship orientation and preparing them for community training delivery. The final two months constitute a practicum period where certified volunteers conduct community-based digital literacy training, with each volunteer required to train at least 25 community participants.

Partnership and Infrastructure

Amatha Tech coordinates the program alongside Internet Society Rwanda Chapter as technical partner for online safety and digital inclusion, with additional support from Techinika Limited, EduConnect Rwanda, Up Skills Hub, Irembo, and Karongi Youth Centre. This collaborative approach ensures volunteers receive comprehensive training spanning technical skills, pedagogical methods, and practical community engagement strategies.

Beyond training delivery, the program includes plans to assist with internet connectivity in areas where trained volunteers operate, addressing infrastructure gaps that currently limit digital access in rural Karongi. This infrastructure component aims to ensure trained community members can practically apply acquired digital skills rather than receiving training without means to utilize it.

Alignment with National Objectives

The initiative aligns directly with Rwanda's National Strategy for Transformation and Vision 2050 objectives emphasizing digital inclusion, youth employment, and development of a knowledge-based economy. With adult literacy rates in Karongi at 79 percent for males and 73.8 percent for females, but significant drop-offs at secondary education levels limiting opportunities for advanced ICT learning, the program targets youth capable of bridging educational and technological divides within their communities.

By program completion in early 2029, Amatha Tech projects 156 certified digital literacy trainers operating across Karongi District, collectively reaching a minimum of 3,900 community beneficiaries. The train-the-trainer approach prioritizes sustainability, creating a permanent pool of local capacity rather than relying on external facilitators. Program monitoring will track volunteer training numbers, community participants reached, training delivery quality, entrepreneurship and ICT projects initiated by volunteers, and alignment with national digital skills targets.

Tackling the Digital Divide

The program's evidence-based focus prioritizes sectors with lowest internet penetration and digital access, directly addressing disparities highlighted in national census data. Beyond immediate training outcomes, Amatha Tech envisions the initiative strengthening district-level infrastructure for ongoing digital literacy programs, with trained volunteers forming an alumni network for continued mentorship and capacity-building. Success in Karongi could inform scaling to additional districts facing similar digital inclusion challenges.

The program represents a practical approach to Rwanda's digital transformation ambitions, recognizing that sustainable change requires not just infrastructure and policy but local human capacity to deliver training, support community adoption, and maintain momentum after initial interventions conclude. By investing in youth as long-term community resources rather than short-term program participants, Amatha Tech's model addresses both immediate digital literacy gaps and the systemic trainer shortage limiting Rwanda's ability to extend digital skills beyond urban centers.