The choice that changed my future
In Guédiawaye, on the outskirts of Dakar, Maguette Sarr Dieng is a quiet but determined 19-year-old student. She is in her second year of a scientific track, with clear ambitions for her future – even if, until recently, something was holding her back.
Growing up, access to a computer was never guaranteed. At home, there was only one, belonging to her father, and using it meant asking for permission and making the best of very limited time. Sometimes it was barely enough to prepare a school assignment, and it always felt restrictive.
“I knew I needed it for school, but I never had enough time to really learn.”
At school, the situation was similar. Only a few students had access to computers, which made research more time-consuming and presentations harder to complete. Maguette kept moving forward, but with obstacles that slowed her down and limited her potential. That’s when she began to understand that digital skills were not a luxury but a necessity, a way to access knowledge, to organize ideas, and to fully participate in a world increasingly shaped by technology.
Determined not to fall behind, she decided to act. She enrolled at the ANPD center in Guédiawaye, where she joined our “Introduction to Computer Basics” course. At first, everything required effort, but she quickly started to build confidence. She learned how to use Word and Excel, how to search for information effectively, and how to type and structure her work more efficiently. Tasks that once felt complicated gradually became easier, and the time she needed to complete her work decreased significantly. More importantly, her confidence grew.
“Now I don’t feel blocked anymore. I can do my work on my own, faster and better.”
For Maguette, technology is a force that supports her ambitions. Her dream is become both an IT specialist and a doctor. Two demanding paths, but in her view deeply connected. She believes that mastering digital skills will give her the ability to innovate, learn faster, and stand out.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that sometimes a single decision can change the direction of a life. As she puts it: “Choosing IT is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”