Tooro Kingdom Partners with Maarifasasa to Launch Digital Impact Hub, Empowering Youth for the Future of Work
Fort Portal, Uganda – July 9, 2025
Tooro Kingdom has today signed a landmark five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maarifasasa Limited to establish the Tooro Digital Impact Hub in Fort Portal Tourism City. The signing ceremony took place at the Maarifasasa offices in Kampala, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership aimed at equipping youth and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with 21st-century digital skills and tools.
This initiative is anchored in Tooro Kingdom’s 25-year Development Agenda, particularly its vision to invest in youth skilling, job creation, and innovation. With a strong focus on the tourism and creative economy sectors, the Tooro Digital Impact Hub will be a catalyst for cultural preservation, digital entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods.
Speaking at the event, Rt. Hon. Omujwarakondo Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, the Prime Minister of Tooro Kingdom, emphasized the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to preparing young people for the evolving digital economy.
“Tooro Kingdom recognizes that the future of work is digital. By partnering with Maarifasasa, we are making a deliberate investment in our youth—the most valuable asset of our Kingdom. This hub will not only build digital capacity but also celebrate and monetize our rich culture and heritage through innovation,” he said.
Under this partnership, the Kingdom has allocated a 300-square-meter space at the ICT Centre in Fort Portal for the creation of a fully equipped Digital Impact Hub. Over the next five years, the Hub is expected to:
- Train at least 5,000 youth (aged 16–35) in digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and remote work readiness.
- Support over 250 MSMEs in leveraging digital tools for growth, with an emphasis on tourism and innovation.
- Ensure that 60% of all program participants are female, promoting inclusive development.
- Promote Tooro’s cultural heritage and tourism through digital storytelling and creative content production.
Mr. Robert Bob Okello, CEO of Maarifasasa Limited, applauded the Kingdom’s foresight in embracing digital transformation as a pathway to youth empowerment and economic resilience.
“Maarifasasa was born out of a belief that African youth deserve access to world-class knowledge and global opportunities. Through this partnership, we are excited to bring that vision to Tooro—creating a new generation of digitally-skilled cultural ambassadors and entrepreneurs,” Okello stated.
Maarifasasa, a fast-growing pan-African EdTech and digital talent company, has emerged as a leader in democratizing access to education and remote income opportunities. Its learning and earning ecosystem—the Maarifasasa Academy—has already impacted over 5,000 young people and connected close to 1,000 digital workers to global clients.
The Tooro Digital Impact Hub is set to be a flagship initiative under the Kingdom’s Youth Skilling and Innovation Programme, complementing ongoing efforts to transform the kingdom into a hub for sustainable tourism, technology, and heritage-based entrepreneurship.
This partnership not only affirms Tooro Kingdom’s strategic direction under His Majesty’s 25-Year Vision but also demonstrates the Kingdom’s proactive role in shaping a future where young people thrive in a fast-changing world. By nurturing talent, promoting creativity, and leveraging digital tools, Tooro Kingdom is boldly positioning itself as a model for youth-centered cultural and economic transformation in Uganda and beyond.
For media inquiries or more information about the Tooro Digital Impact Hub, contact the Office of the Prime Minister, Tooro Kingdom.
