​The ‘walking bus’ initiative is a daily support system run by a group of 30 women from the community who make sure that children from the neighbourhood walk a safe path to and from school. A few men have also decided to join the women as part of the ‘walking-bus’ initiative and the Digital Literacy Programme.
 
The City has welcomed the group onto the programme. They have been split into three groups of ten each and will be trained in basic computer skills over the next three weeks.

 
‘It may seem like an old adage but one is never too old to learn a new skill. I applaud the women of Mfuleni for taking this bold step to enter the digital space which is  unfamiliar to them. The programme forms part of a digital literacy pilot project that focusses on enhancing participants’ digital skills. Developing these skills will help not only to improve their access to technology but will also open doors to future entrepreneurial or employment opportunities,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Raelene Arendse.
 
The Digital Literacy Programme originally encompassed training in computer hardware and embedded software, Basic Writer (open source Word equivalent), Basic Calc (open source Excel equivalent) and Internet security.
 
But most of the women have not even laid hands on a computer previously. In addition, the language is a barrier as almost every single one of them is fluent in isiXhosa and speaks very little English, if at all. This presented the City’s Information Systems and Technology Department (IS&T) with a challenge.
 
‘We have come to realise that a programme has to be flexible to cater for varying levels of digital literacy. It was a great opportunity to tailor the content to suit the needs of quite literally each woman on the programme. This is the only way to make it as inclusive as possible and ensure residents get onto the digital highway successfully. IT cannot be a one size fits all solution,’ said Andre Ford, Senior Project Administrator from the IS&T Digital Inclusion Department.
 
Busisiwe Mrataza, who completed the programme during the first intake of participants, has volunteered her time to teach the enthusiastic women the basics of computer literacy while she is searching for employment.
 
Busisiwe also plays a critical role in translating the programme instructions into isiXhosa to make it easier for the women to follow. Although she only recently acquired the skills as well, her passion shines through and makes it seem like she’s an old hand at this.
 
The excitement and camaraderie among the women in the library was palpable as they were compiling a CV for themselves. When asked what would they do next with this newly learnt skill, it was unanimous: they want to finalise their CVs and apply for job opportunities to improve their lives.
 
‘This group of women should serve as a source of inspiration to their peers in the community. I have asked them to go out and encourage more women to join the Digital Literacy Programme as this will help to open doors for them. We encourage young and old residents and community organisations to make use of these excellent learning opportunities. While the City fulfils its role of creating a learning environment, we ask community leaders to encourage residents to make use of these valuable digital literacy programmes. It will be to their benefit in the longer term,’ added Councillor Arendse. 
 
Previously, a group of eight learners participated in the original Digital Literacy Programme at Mfuleni library. The programme allowed for easy access to the LibreOffice package available on SmartCape computers located in the City’s libraries and is an important learning experience where participants gain a better understanding of the digital world.
 
About SmartCape
The City’s SmartCape programme is an initiative to bridge the digital divide in communities. The City runs a number of digital literacy programmes that incorporate computer basics, coding courses, LAN gaming and other digital literacy programmes. SmartCape terminals can be found at all of the 104  City of Cape Town libraries, where patrons can also gain access to free Internet services via the SmartCape Wi-Fi hotspots.
 
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