The light beyond darkness
Since childhood, Démba Manga, teenager from Senegal, has lived with a deep sense of exclusion and isolation, feelings made heavier by his visual impairment.
For years, after returning home from school, convinced he had no way to interact or socialize, he would choose to stay alone… in silence… in the dark.
His classmates often talked about the many things they could do with their computers, but for him, technology felt like something distant and unreachable.
“In a world where everything is digital, not knowing how to use a computer is like being illiterate,” says Démba, aware that visual impairment was only part of the challenge. But Démba had one thing on his side: determination. One day, he decided to push forward and carve his own path.
When opened the doors of our training center, offering free digital literacy courses for visually impaired people, he didn’t hesitate for a second. “I never thought I’d be able to use a computer, write a document, or browse the Internet without help,” he says today, with a hint of pride.
Thanks to the training he received, he learned to use Word, Excel, and other essential programs, as well as how to research online to study and prepare assignments.
“Every Wednesday and Saturday evening, instead of staying home doing nothing, I went to class. And that made all the difference,” recalls Démba, thinking back to the moments when he first discovered the power of technology. But the impact wasn’t only personal. The skills he gained turned him into a point of reference in his neighborhood.
Today, when friends, neighbors, or family members run into computer issues, there are no more barriers. “If someone needs help to navigate the Internet or do a search, everyone calls me. Before, I was the one asking for help, now I help others.”
Démba has also started to connect more easily with his peers through video calls, allowing him to study and maintain friendships even from a distance. Today, thanks to his familiarity with the Ministry of Education’s website, he can check his grades and class schedule independently.
He is now the President of the Student Council; a living example of how digital skills can not only empower marginalized individuals but also uplift entire communities.
“Every time I teach something to my siblings, neighbors, or friends, I feel joy. The training gave me the tools to make a difference. And I hope others get the same opportunity. If centers like this could grow and reach remote places like Bignona (a rural town in the Ziguinchor region of southern Senegal), we could truly change our country,” says Démba with renewed passion and strength.