NetWise: Be Safe, Be Smart, Be Online with YFTC Uganda

Status: Ongoing

Country: Uganda

Partner: Youth Focus on Transforming Communities

Impact goal: 500 people

About the project

This project will help people in Bidibidi Zone 4 and Yangani Zone 5 learn how to use the internet safely. Many people here are new to the online world and don’t know about things like strong passwords, avoiding scams, and how to keep their personal information private. YFTC Uganda will teach them in easy and local ways. To support this learning, they will also set up three small digital safety hubs that will remain in the community for ongoing use.

Updates

The project is now halfway through implementation and progressing well. Community participation has been strong, with students, youth, and women showing high interest in learning how to stay safe online. Six of the eight planned training sessions have been completed, covering topics such as safe browsing, password protection, data privacy, and scam awareness. Printed guides and posters in English and local languages are also in use to support continued learning.

So far, more than 280 people have taken part in at least one training session. Teachers and school leaders are actively using the digital hubs for research and classroom activities, and students now have access to internet-enabled tablets for educational purposes. Feedback from the community indicates a clear increase in awareness of online risks and safer digital behavior.

Some challenges remain, including low literacy levels for some learners, limited devices for large groups, and difficult travel conditions for participants from remote areas. To address these issues, trainers are working with local interpreters, using visual learning tools, and adjusting training schedules where possible. Despite these barriers, the project continues to make steady progress and is building a strong foundation for safer digital engagement across all three communities.

About the partner

YFTC is a youth led organization, devoted to promoting peace-building, youth empowerment, and advocacy activities.

YFTC began as a community-based initiative with its headquarters at Zone 4 annex, Bidibidi refugee settlement. The organization promotes youth, women, and girls’ empowerment through the use of technology to create socio-economic innovation for women and girls. They also facilitate access to information to both refugee and host community while addressing grass root concerns pertaining to conflicts within the communities. Ultimately, they work towards creating an environment conducive for children, youth and women.

View their website here