Khadija uses digital skills to grow her business by two employees and create positive change
When Computer Science graduate Khadija Abdul heard about Google’s Digital Skills for Africa programme, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take her life and career in a new direction. “I thought I already knew what I needed to know about the Internet,” she says. “But the skills I learnt on the programme demystified the Internet. I learnt I could start a business and find customers online.” The course showed Khadija how to set up and run her own online campaigns and how to get the most from tools such as AdWords and Google Apps. Afterwards, she felt empowered to start her own agency, Medina Digital Media, which helps businesses connect to customers online.
The knowledge and skills she gained have given Khadija the confidence to create better strategies and better presentations for her clients. Thanks to this, her business keeps growing, and she has been able to hire two employees. “Originally, my goal was to help Kenyan businesses grow online. But as we expand, I see myself working with international businesses,” says Khadija. As well as focusing on her own business, Khadija is aiming to use her new skills to help the large numbers of unemployed young people in her hometown of Mombasa. “I would like to be part of change, by teaching youth how to use the Internet and empower themselves economically,” she says. “We have a responsibility to create a positive narrative for Africa, and that can only be done by the African people themselves.”
The skills I learnt on the programme demystified the Internet, and I learnt that I could start a business and find customers online.