‘I don’t perform, I live leadership’

What was life like growing up and how did it shape you into the man you are today?

I was born in Lira and raised in Barlwala, a small village in northern Uganda. Even my birth was a miracle under the conditions we lived in. Life was tough, typical of many rural households. But my parents believed in the transformative power of education. They made unimaginable sacrifices so we could have the education they never had. At one point, I almost dropped out after P.7 due to financial hardship. But by God’s grace and relentless work, I emerged the top student in my district with Aggregate 5 in PLE, which earned me a scholarship to Light Academy Boys Secondary School. At Senior Four, I won another scholarship to United World College in Norway, and eventually a full ride to the University of Oklahoma in the US, where I designed my own degree in African Development Engineering. That journey gave me empathy. I know how it feels to have potential but lack opportunity. That is the fuel behind everything I do at Maarifasasa.

What is Maarifasasa all about?

Maarifasasa is Swahili for “Knowledge Now”. It represents the urgency of democratising access to life-changing digital skills. But we are more than a training provider. We bridge the gap between learning and earning. That is the difference.

When was your first interaction with digital technology, and how did you realise its power?

My first encounter was in 2002 while in Primary One. I saw a bulky 1998 Dell CRT computer with a trackball mouse. It was a mystery to me, but I was mesmerised. I did not get to touch a computer again until high school, and by then it was love at first click. The real awakening came in 2014 when I came back to my village from Norway with a school laptop. I was the only one in the entire village with a computer. That laptop symbolised access. It was a window to the world. I started offering free lessons. I realised this machine could unlock doors for others too. That changed everything.

How did your education in Norway influence your view of Africa’s digital potential?

Travel expands perspective. Norway is not the only place I have travelled to. I have travelled to New York, Oklahoma, and Eswatini. I have seen what happens when opportunity meets preparation. But I have also seen immense wasted potential. Across Africa, we have brilliant youth stuck behind barriers. That is why I say Africa’s digital future is not a dream. It is a decision. We must choose to invest in our people and our infrastructure.

How exactly does Maarifasasa turn skills into income for young people?

We flipped the traditional model. Training is just the beginning. We focus heavily on linking graduates to income via freelance platforms, internships, remote work, or launching their own digital businesses. We do not make money until our students do. That is how invested we are. Ubuntu in action.

What makes Uganda’s youth suited for digital work?

Our youth are resilient, adaptive, and fast learners. Give them the tools, expose them to real work, and they will deliver. What they lack is access and mentorship and that is what we provide.

How can we better showcase Uganda’s culture digitally?

Empower creatives with tools, training, and platforms. Monetise their work. Let our youth produce films, podcasts, animations, and digital art. Culture is currency and let us trade it globally.

How can youth get involved or benefit from Maarifasasa?

Visit our website, maarifasasa.com. Sign up, take a course, become an ambassador. If you are a dreamer, bring your hustle. Together, we will build Africa’s digital tomorrow.

Uganda is positioning itself as a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hub. Where do you see us in five years?

Uganda has a golden chance to be Africa’s digital talent capital. We have the youth, the English proficiency, and hunger. With investment in infrastructure, skilling, and job pipelines, we can lead the continent in remote service delivery, virtual assistance, customer support, content moderation, and more.

What are the biggest misconceptions about BPO and remote work?

People assume it is low skill or temporary. In reality, it includes everything from technical support to digital marketing and project management. Done right, it is dignified, flexible, and scalable. It is real work and a real career path.

What keeps you going when things get tough?

The success stories. The messages. The mum who says her son now supports the family. I remember how close I came to being one of the forgotten ones. I owe it to the next Okello in an African village.

What is key in your leadership skills?

Authenticity because it builds trust. Humour is how we cope. Language connects us, culture grounds us. I do not perform leadership. I live it. I lead as myself.

If you had two minutes with African digital policymakers, what would you tell them?

Skills. Jobs. Infrastructure. Build talent pipelines, back youth-led startups, incentivise the digital economy and build with Ubuntu. Make sure everyone wins.

What does success look like to you in 2030?

Thriving and leading. A Pan-African network of digital impact hubs. A generation building lives they do not have to escape from. That is what winning looks like.

What is your vision?

To unlock 1 million digital jobs and this vision started with heartbreak. In 2016, while in Italy on a study abroad programme, I met African migrants stranded in Rome, hopeless and jobless. I could not unsee that pain. It pushed me to imagine a better story, one where Africans do not have to cross oceans to find dignity. After finishing school in the US, I returned home, started Maarifasasa in my family’s garage, and began building a solution from the ground up.