The SMART Zambia Institute, in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has deployed ICT equipment to the Mukwela Youth Resource Centre in Kalomo District, Southern Province, as part of efforts to expand digital access and equip young people with skills for the digital economy.
The equipment was handed over on August 10 by SMART Zambia Assistant Director of Digital Skills and Capabilities Brian Nawa Nawa, alongside Principal Digital Skills Officer Chunga Manzi and Provincial ICT Officer Joyce Mushiko.
According to SMART Zambia, the new equipment will enable the centre to support digital literacy and skills development, with particular benefits for young women involved in business. The organisation also urged the centre’s management to ensure that the equipment is properly maintained and used for its intended purpose.
The initiative forms part of the broader Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative, through which the ITU and its partners support communities with access to digital technologies and skills. SMART Zambia has been working to build digital capacity among citizens while expanding ICT infrastructure and access to devices across the country.
With the latest deployment, the Mukwela facility is expected to transition into a fully fledged Digital Transformation Centre, creating a local platform where young people can develop digital skills and participate more actively in Zambia’s growing digital economy.
The centre’s Deputy Manager, Patel Hachitema, welcomed the deployment, noting that the equipment would help ensure young people in Mukwela are not left behind as Zambia advances its digital transformation.
The development also reflects Zambia’s broader push to close the digital divide by extending digital infrastructure and skills opportunities beyond major urban centres. Provincial ICT Officer Joyce Mushiko said the deployment reinforces the government’s commitment to ensuring citizens across the country can participate in the country’s digital transformation.
The centre is expected to be officially commissioned at a later date by SMART Zambia’s National Coordinator and the Permanent Secretary for Youth, Sports and Arts.
For Zambia, initiatives such as this are increasingly important as access to devices and digital skills becomes a prerequisite for participation in education, entrepreneurship and the wider digital economy. ITU’s wider work with SMART Zambia has similarly focused on strengthening community-level digital skills and infrastructure, particularly for underserved populations.
