Pushing My Way into the Digital World

As he walked toward the door, to leave for work, I ran toward him.

"Daddy, can I now get the money?" I asked

"Money for what?" He retorted

"For the computer classes I told you I wanted to attend," was my response.

"Look, I do not have money now" he said angrily and slammed the door behind him.

I paced about in the living room feeling so disappointed. I had lost count of the number of times I begged my father to give me money to register for computer classes. That was how I wanted to spend my summer holidays. I wanted to be able to get behind that screen people called a "computer" and control it. I had heard that the world was fast evolving and I wanted to be a part of this move.

My sweet daddy, will not let me leave my dreams. He kept telling me to hold on. I held on until the end of the holidays yet he did not provide me with the money.

I only needed $20 to take full computer classes for one month. I thought it would be easy for my Dad to provide that but he was reluctant. Perhaps he didn't see the computer and internet as a feminine things.

I remained determined to know how to use a computer. In 2003, during my first year at the university I begged a fellow student who had some ICT knowledge to teach me how to use it.

She took me to a cyber cafe, created an email account for me and those were my ABCs in exploring the digital world. Every time I went to the cyber cafe, I explored this new found love more and more. I wanted to know some things about a computer and when I knew them, I wanted to know some more.

This quest for more knowledge quickly moved me from a level of digital illiteracy to digital literacy. In a short while, I was able to show other women how to use a computer. We would take walks to a cyber cafe together and I will share what I know with them.

I remain eternally grateful to my friend who first taught me how to use a computer. She helped a sister out who in turn helped other sisters out.

For digital literacy to grow among women, we must be each others keeper. We must lend our digitally illiterate sisters a hand and help them achieve this life transforming knowledge. Help a sister out. She may be your neighbor, your aunty, your friend's friend or even your mother. Pay her a visit and help her out!

I have seen several women who desire to be knowledgeable in computer and internet use. However, they need someone to put them through. They do not necessarily need a formal event or training where they will obtain these skills. We can put them through, one sister at a time.

On a larger scale, I intend to indulge in audio-visual productions that will give rise to more digital competent women. If a picture is worth a million words, then a motion picture is worth a zillion words!

Let more and more women weave the web and let their voices be heard.