When Alpha Ntihinduka fled Rwanda with his family in 2011, he was just 12 years old. All he wanted was safety and a chance to escape the political threats that had put his father’s life at risk.
Fourteen years down the line, he is not just safe. He’s become a thriving digital professional and works as a custom software engineering associate with global tech firm Accenture in Italy.
Alpha’s journey from the Kyaka II refugee settlement in Uganda to Accenture in Italy did not happen overnight. He is one of the participants of the ReadyForIT: Labour Pathways, a project led by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and a host of other partners.
How The Journey Began
After fleeing Rwanda, Alpha initially settled in Uganda’s capital Kampala. Due to harsh living conditions in the refugee camp in Kampala, Alpha moved to the Kyaka II refugee settlement in 2017.
While living in Kyaka II, he enrolled in a bachelor’s degree programme in software engineering. When the COVID-19 lockdown shut the world in 2020, it opened Alpha’s mind to set up Youth United for African Transformation (YUFAT), a programme that promotes digital literacy and empowerment among refugee youths.
‘I could remember, during the COVID-19 lockdown, many students were not able to access education because of the lockdown. Many refugees had few jobs because they could not continue working. So this was a hard moment,’ he said.
‘My idea was that, if we had technology knowledge this would it be of a great impact to us, because if you look at the other communities or other areas, we see that some other countries are using technology tools to continue accessing some of those services which may include education, psychology support, job opportunities and all,’ Alpha said.
Through YUFAT, he launched TechLeap to train youth in basic computer skills. Its success later birthed DictoBoda, a mobile tech training project that uses motorcycles to deliver laptops and projectors to remote schools.
Talent Beyond Boundaries
Alpha continued serving others while his search for more continued. His breakthrough came when he registered with Talent Beyond Boundaries, a programme that works with ReadyForIT to match skilled refugees with companies.
The project’s comprehensive training covered the programming language Java, the database management system SQL, workplace communication, safety, and intercultural integration. Out of 180 initial applicants, only 21, including Alpha, were eventually selected and matched with employers in Italy, after rigorous assessments.
Alpha described Ready for IT as exceptionally structured and impactful. ‘It prepared candidates holistically, with cultural orientation, safety skills, and language training,’ he said.
He also lauded the project’s inclusiveness, as women were actively encouraged to participate, which is unusual in many tech training programmes.
ITC collaborated with the Refractory Academy, a Ugandan training centre, to provide mentorships and workshops that further strengthened his technical expertise, social integration, and readiness for work in Italy.
Building A Better Future For All
Alpha passionately recommends the ITC and Refractory Academy programmes, and believes they should expand to more refugee settlements and underserved host communities.
He suggests building strong alumni networks for mentorship, forging expanded partnerships with global companies and tech hubs, and strengthening hands-on training components to ensure participants are industry-ready.
He believes these efforts would empower more refugees and strengthen communities through technology and innovation.
A New Chapter Of Hope
Now in Italy working for Accenture, Alpha sees this opportunity not just as personal advancement, but as a platform to inspire others. He hopes to support his family, uplift his community, and help other refugees realize that success is possible.
‘I am also building on this progress by giving back. Through YUFAT, I aim to continue to empower refugee youths in Uganda with the same digital skills that changed my life,’ Alpha added.
ITC focuses on trade and development interventions to support people affected by displacement and migration. This project that supported Alpha is part of ITC efforts to improve life for refugees and host communities by growing small businesses and creating new careers.
Article was first published by International Trade Centre