I am called Kakinda Allan, 19 years old and a first year student of Makerere University(2007) pursuing a Bachelor of Statistics degree.
During my time as a student, I was introduced to several SchoolNet activities especially at secondary school level which I very proud to have participated in and these activities included, doing several iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) projects such as Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger, Child Soldier Project, Child Labour Project, Folk and Tales Project, and the Global Teenager Project. All the above projects involve youths from around the world communicating and sharing experiences of the problems they are facing and in this way they are able to find/discuss ways in which they can solve their problems. This has changed my way of thinking of the world at large and way we can (as youth) contribute to development without any bureaucracy in the decision making.

During my Senior five at Makerere College School, I was introduced to Mtandao- Afrika which is a pan African Internet website design competition for African learners aged between 12-19 years where students team up with other students from other African countries and collaborate to develop websites with African related content. So I got the chance of participating in Mtandao-Afrika where I teamed up with three students from Egypt, 1 coach from Uganda and a coach from Egypt and we developed a website on deforestation, i.e. Deforestation: African Resources in Decline.  http://library2006.mtandao-afrika.net/MAF060247 .
 Our team won the Platinum Award in the Science and Mathematics category and the “Star Award” for the best website in Africa at the Youth Camp and Awards Ceremony which was held in Cairo, Egypt in March 2007. This was one of the best moments in my life because I was part of the “BEST” team allover Africa and has provided a great challenge for me to role model many of my age mates so that they can achieve the same or even more.

Participation in Mtandao-Afrika also helped me acquire very many skills that have changed my way of thinking and way of life. Some of these skills include; team working and tele collaboration skills since I was working with students from another country, self confidence, patience, communication, presentation and linguistic skills. It also improved my self esteem and I now look at my self as someone who is also capable of at least doing something. It has also motivated me a lot because in the course of participation, I got to learn some programming as a result I decided to learn more programming and more ICT skills and I was also able to make more international friends as I had to work with people from different countries. This has given me an edge over my other course mates, some of whom may be using ICTs for the first time. I have also dedicated my self to participate in other similar contests like ThinkQuest International and any other contests since I have realized I have a lot of potential.
Further, I have also been able to participate in several SchoolNet workshops where I have been a participant in some cases and a facilitator like at the Science and ICT holiday camp. These workshops have helped me acquire more ICT skills e.g. the training that we had on the macromedia website design suite. These workshops have also helped me meet a lot of inspiring people who have also influenced my life.

I also had a chance to work at the SchoolNet refurbishment centre, where I got a hands-on technical training on the refurbishment of computers especially computer hardware and software installation. This has also improved my ICTs skills and also given me an opportunity to sell computers to different people and have a real view of how customers behave in the real life.

Now with all these benefits and impacts that SchoolNet Uganda has had on my life while still at a tender age, I would like to say that “long live SchoolNet Uganda” and also encourage my fellow youth that once you get that golden opportunity to work with SchoolNet Uganda, please do not hesitate because it will be a living testimony to you. I also want to say to SchoolNet Uganda that whenever there is anything that you need and I can be of some help, I will be more than willing to help. God bless you all.