Hargabits Course one graduation (Get connected)

Hargeisa (Somaliland), 18^th April 2019, Hargabits digital academy holds celebration graduation for this year’s student after finishing the first course, GET CONNECTED, part of the series courses that students should undertake to qualify for the certificate programs offered by the school. “We are happy to announce that this year’s batch finalized the first course, a foundational course that equips them with basic IT skills,” Says former Hargabits manager, Khadra Ali.

The first course, GET CONNECTED, lasts 8 weeks and teaches fundamentals and in that time students are graded on projects, assignments, attendance and general good behaviour. The best are moved on to the more rigorous second track for 22 weeks. From the second course, they all move to specialization.

Before Hargabits, 17-year old Rahma, says she could not turn on a computer. “ Before Hargabits, I loved ICT but never had the chance to touch a computer or learn how to with computer”-Rahma

At its last graduation ceremony, over 80% graduates were offered immediate decent employment and 10% started their own jobs and are currently making good progress in their careers.

Hargabits is an initiative of the Work in Progress Alliance, a consortium of organisations such as Oxfam Novib and Butterfly Works, a social and design innovations studio in the Netherlands. The digital school is locally partnered and managed by Shaqodoon organization, a vibrant growing NGO based on Somalia transforming the lives of youth through technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Since its beginning, Hargabits trained more than 126 students mainly from Hargeisa, Somaliland mainly who cannot afford to further their university education. Now, Shaqodoon organization has to endure to be instrumental to the success and sustainability of this initiative.