MY UNTOLD STORY OF IMPORTANCE OF THE POWER OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND HOW IT MADE AN IMPACT ON MY JOB AS A CIVILSERVANT EVEN UPTODATE

My real life experience of Digital Technology made my life change for better while I was in the Government as a Civil Servant It was in 1989 when our Department Head approached our Boss and informed some of the Staff who were willing to be Trained on how to enter Data and make a DataBase on all Rivers, Dams and water Catchments in Kenya. The SIDA project attached to the Ministry is the one which was offering this opportunity to the Ministry Staff in 1989. 

I agreed to be trained, I thought in doing so I would look for employment in a greener Pastures in banks or private sector.

The room was known us Computer room whereby "BACKUP" was done every morning  we had to wait for one hour to complete the BACK UP. in order to start work. The Computers were using 'WORD PERFECT'. Day by day I enjoyed typing and I became an expert. I was keying in the names of Kenyan Rivers, those applying for Water Permits for Irrigatiion, Dams, Water Catchment Areas for my Department . 

It was in 1993, when a United Nation (UN) Project from Netherlands was seconded to our Ministry. The Director in my Department was requested to look for a Secretary who was conversant in Computer Word perfect. I was recommended. 

I could not believe, I was introduced to the Project Manager from Netherlands. The project was known as WRAP (Water Resources Assessment Project) I was given my personal Computer and I was assigned duties. i.e. Typing Project Proposals from WEST POKOT the most primitive part of our Country Kenya. There were so many Vehicles from United Nations {UN} seconded to that Project.   The Drivers used to drive me home at times i worked late in the evening. In the morning they used to drive me to the Office. The Project Manager used to allocate money to me to buy milk for the Department Staff. The Project Drivers loved  me because i used to give them Tea. So every Morning they used to rush to my house, they would come in turns 3 of the drivers so they used to drive  my children to school. The one who would come last is the one who drove me to the Office. 

When there was a United Nations Meeting with the Project Manager and the Ministry of Water Officials, I prepared everything Snacks Tea etc. The Project Manager congratulated me for work well done after the Meeting.  The Ministry had no Computers for their Secretaries they used Old Manual Typewriters which made a lot of noise even the Director did not have one. So he used to come to my Office when the PS gave him an assignment for Typing. I used to type for him, especially the Ministers Speech I used to type with desired FONTS and use A5 paper. The Director and other bosses loved my work. I informed them since their work were sensitive everyone to have a floppy disk to save and when they come for typing they bring the Floppy.

In 1996 there was a WATER MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP all the EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES were invited it was sponsored by WORLD BANK and it was held in one of the best "posh" hotels in Kenya in fact i heard it was known as Millionaires place.  So when the Directors, Assistant Secretaries met to decide the Secretary who will handle their Proposals during the Meeting they proposed my name. I joined other WORLD BANK staff So I enjoyed being in a millionaires place for 6 days and with other Directors from East Africa. They would give us their floppy disk to rectify their proposals after the Workshop.

In short there were other Workshops i attended in big town Hotels in Kenya due to Importance of Digital Technology. Later,

My Boss Project Manager from Netherlands asked me to organize Training Venue for the Secretaries in our Ministry. I organized an Institution whereby the NETHERLANDS EMBASSY trained the Secretaries and after the Training they were supplied with Personal Computers and Printers.

The Project Contract ended in 1996. 

I joined World Pulse in 2009, many years back. I have participated in so many story telling, I have been awarded a Vocal Leader in my Community. The Digital Technology made me welcome dine with the Founder of World Pulse Madam Jensine the first time she visited Kenya.. I did not need to introduce myself/ name because she used to see my photo on World Pulse Message on line. It was a great priveledge.  The power of Technology also made me attend a Global FORUM -GIF WORKSHOP held at UNEP. World Pulse Officials sent me an Email directing me to one of the Organizers at UNEP. I  printed the Email and I went with it to the GIF WORKSHOP.  I found the lady when I gave her the Email. after she read the Email she was happy. introduced me to the other participants. I enjoyed the Workshop for days met other Participants from WORLDWIDE. if it were not for the  prove the POWER OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. i did not know there was such a WORKSHOP in my Country KENYA 

In 2014 I shared a story  to World Pulse"s WOMEN WEAVE THE WEB CAMPAIGN. Madam Le LaTour congratulated me when I trained Young Women 15-25yrs on DIGITALEMPOWEREMENT TRAINING in order to create learning  experience use of Technology as a tool for Socio Economic. I also assisted Madam Jessica Foumena to do a Research sturdy on African Women and World Pulse.

In my Community am a VolunteerComm Health Work. During this Covid 19 am targeting the most vulnerable in my Community working in conjuction with the District/County Social Development Office. So, when i Target the Older Persons,Disabled those with Chronic Illness I target them they give me their Identity Nos.  their Mobile Nos. Registered with Mpesa.  Every Tuesday the Government sends them money for their basic needs. The Importance of Digital Tech. Am training the Community in Hand Washing as a Volunteer in Community Health Work (CHV). In a USAID program with Hope World Wide am one of the CHVs I report 52 Households every Month those girls from 12 yrs those who need Sanitary Towels, the Youth 17yrs who need Vocational Traing, the HIV + parents and their children, refer for medication, Nutrition Support Groups. etc.  When i need them I call them on phone thus Importance of Digital Technology.

So when #ShetransformsTech - will be working together campaign to deliver our insights to the UN global global Policymakers.