METU MAARIFA CENTRE & PICTORIAL ON ICDL PROGRAMME

Metu Maarifa Centre is a one of the  ALIN's Community Resource Centre Located in Moyo District towards north of the country “Uganda” Metu Maarifa Centre offers free access of information to the Community members  with an aim of improving their livelihoods through giving a practical knowledge.
In addition to its community empowerment pillars the Maarifa Centre has introduced a free computer training program as from 16^th ,January 2012 till 16^th April,2012.

The trainer giving a brief theory on the basics.

The Arid Lands Information Network working closely with all the maarifa centres in East Africa piloted a very important exercise for the entire maarifa centres enhance free computer training. Metu Maarifa centre is one of the busy centre in terms of expanding the knowledge to others by giving out the basic information on the following packages including:-

v  Introduction to computer

v  Microsoft windows Xp

v  Proficiency word processing.

v  Microsoft Excel 2007

v  Office 2007 Microsoft power point and

v  Information and communication (Internet).

For the last 44 days. The training has attracted over 107 people including the farmers, youths, NGOs and local government officials in the sub-county and elders among others.

The connectivity of Metu people have embarrassed this programme with lots of enthusiasm and joy.

Trainees participating & listening to trainer's instructions.

Mr. Ogoro Peter the Local Council (LC) III expressed his gratitude to the organization (ALIN) for opening their eyes to face the challenges of the globalized world.

Mr Madrara Anjelo, who is now 60 years of age  said surely, it is a miracle that he is able to touch machine called computer at his age, it’s like a dram because he used to think that, computer was like a human person. Undeliverable he said that he can fit and sit with his children to know the new ways of doing things through learning the basic part of the computer.

The local council and Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) official have appreciated the effort of the Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) they said; it has easy their heavy paper work to information storage systems.

Participants accessing free practical computer knowledge   

However, the farmers said, through the internet services, they are able to acquire new skills, send their reports where it is needed, information and technology for improving their farming system. They further said, if all could be for farmer, by now, they could have lived a better and improved life in the society.

Lots of thanks to the organization ALIN (Arid Lands Information Network) for bringing salvation to open people’s mind in Uganda as a whole.         

Prepared by:

Jurugo Simon Drikota

Field Officer –Metu maarifa Centre