Obonyo Celine Adhiambo

Nairobi, Kenya

Obonyo Celine Adhiambo, fondly known as Molly to her friends, always wanted to be a receptionist.  A former agent for M-Pesa, a mobile phone-based money transfer and microfinancing service in Kenya, she dreamed of working someday in an office of a big company. But without the money to afford a college degree, she knew her options were limited. That is, until a family friend informed her of a digital literacy training course offered by youth-based organization Nairobits Trust. Curious and determined to make a new path for herself, Molly enrolled in a class to learn how to use the computer. 

Her training, which lasted for 10 weeks, spread out over the course of four months in late 2012, focused on as introducing students to the basics of using a computer as well as the use of practical applications. Under the guidance of her trainer, Samuel "Kimesh" Muraya, Molly not only learned how to use a computer, she also learned to use applications such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop. Molly recalls, "Though there were some challenges at first since I had never used a computer before, I really enjoyed myself during the training. I enjoyed using Photoshop, editing pictures and typing."
 

The future is bright for Molly, now 21, who has just completed a scholarship with the Nairobits School of Digital Design where she learned web design and development. [1] She acknowledges the impact her digital literacy training has had on her life. "My life has changed a lot ever since I had the training. Now, I can use a computer and even teach those who do not know how to use it," Molly says, "I would recommend this training to others because it can open job opportunities to people who can not afford money for college."


[1] Molly completed her studies in December 2013.