Habesha.net draws its success from AddisBits. The school is driving development in Ethiopia’s IT sector, starting with quality training and a innovative thinking. It is a successful web development and hosting company in Ethiopia. A number of its employees graduated in web development and design from AddisBits.
Jilaku is one of these success stories. He studied at AddisBits, then interned at Habesha and was finally offered a job at the end of his internship. Africa’s information and communication technology is booming, and web developers aren’t exactly a dime a dozen in a region plagued by a dire skills shortage. In fact, the demand is so high that students studying in this field are almost guaranteed a job straight out of university or college. And when it comes to AddisBits, a non-profit organisation that offers free training, everyone has the opportunity to better their lives.
Addis Ababa youths have the skills and talent, but not all of them are able to get higher education,” says Teklu Kelelachew, a trainer at AddisBits. “This youth-based initiative was established in 1999 and it’s now a part of the community leaders in the field of ICT training.”
The enterprise offers students a wide variety of courses in its web development programme, including basic computer skills for those who have never used computers before.
I’ve learnt everything at AddisBits. I didn’t have any computer skills before, but at AddisBits I’ve learnt how to design a website, and how to use HTML and Photoshop,” says one student while typing away at his keyboard.
AddisBits takes the students through the entire process, starting with how to successfully design and conceptualise a website all the way through to a fully finished and dynamic working site. But students learn more than just digital tools –they are given the education and opportunities to open their own businesses and improve their lives and that of their communities.
AddisBits is always on the lookout for new talent and they often interview up to 200 potential students from different communities, often taking upwards of 20 of the brightest at a time. “The AddisBits training programme has been running for over two years now. So far more than 20 students have graduated. In exchange for training the school encourages the students to invest back in their communities.”
The young web developers are now geared to go out and become young businesspeople in their country, and they can finally live up to their potential and make a success of themselves.“After my training at AddisBits, I had the confidence to start my own business. I looked for organisations that could loan me money and together with my friend we started this shop,” says one student, who has opened a DVD store with a friend, where they also run a web development company.
Thanks to enterprises like AddisBits, Ethiopia is definitely not being left behind in the technology age.
