Supporting Rural Youth Through Digital Literacy and Collaboration

We recently partnered with our Zithulele neighbors, the Jabulani Rural Health Foundation, to provide digital literacy training to young women in the community. Jabulani drives community development across the area through integrated health, education, and economic initiatives. By anchoring our technical training within their holistic youth programmes, we are working together to expand opportunities for local school leavers. Participating in the 2026 Masiphakameni Skills Development gap year programme, every student in the cohort achieved a 100% pass rate in their Digital Citizen Plus (DC+) computer training.

Participants on their last day of Training with their certificates.

This perfect success rate validates the vision behind the initiative. "To us as an organisation, it proves that our curriculum, teaching methodologies, and support structures are highly effective," says Masiphakameni Facilitator,  Nomvuzo.

Sustainable rural development often relies on multiple organisations combining their specific capabilities. In this partnership, Jabulani Rural Health Foundation managed the overarching eight-month Masiphakameni programme, which offers personal development, mentorship, and life skills. We, Axium Education, provided the academic and technical framework, delivering the practical computer training over a three-month period. To ensure the skills gained carry formal weight, the training was conducted through an accredited International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) test centre managed by ICDL South Africa, allowing the learners to earn internationally recognised certifications.

The training ran twice a week and covered foundational modules including Computer Concepts, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, and Communications. Because most of the participants entered the programme with little to no prior computer experience, the instructional approach required individualised attention.

For the students, overcoming this learning curve brought an immense sense of pride. Participant Sizeka Sodange shared her breakthrough moment; "When we started, I didn't know anything about computers. But when I sent my first email and the facilitator replied to me, I felt so proud. It showed me that I can learn and computers are not as difficult as I thought."

Proud participants celebrate by holding up their ICDL Digital Citizen Plus certificates on a cloudy day.

Nkosikhona, the Computer Lab Facilitator, adds that, “Sometimes I would spend most of my time focusing on one student to make sure they understood what they were learning. Maintaining patience and dedicating time to students individually was essential. Reflecting on the process, he explained, “For most of them, Excel was the biggest hurdle, working through the calculations and functions required a lot of one on one attention. Depending on their individual capabilities, others needed extra support adjusting to Word, mastering PowerPoint, or simply building confidence with basic typing and keyboard skills. It was incredibly rewarding to see all the participants overcome these challenges and achieve 100% in their assessments.” 

Acquiring these digital skills provides the participants with a practical foundation for future tertiary studies, employment, or even entrepreneurship. "Passing with flying colours shatters the intimidation often associated with technology, instilling a deep sense of confidence," Nomvuzo notes.

The skills learned will directly impact the cohort's upcoming academic journeys. Alubonile, another participant, highlighted the immediate academic value of the modules; "PowerPoint will be most useful to me, because I will use it for presentations next year at university."

Beyond the classroom, the training creates immediate pathways to economic independence. Participant Abongwe emphasised how the course expanded her immediate horizons: "Now I can get a part-time job next year as a cashier, anything that involves computers, while I'm studying at university."

Nkosikhona added that these practical skills will directly assist the young women as they step into their futures. “I hope they continue building on what they have learned,” he said.

Ultimately, this initiative highlights how structured collaboration between organisations can expand ‘educational’ access for rural youth. By combining resources, this partnership provided these young women with both foundational computer skills and personal development, highlighting the practical value of investing in youth within rural communities.