“During my studies at CENIT@EA, I gained new skills every day. The exchange with students from other EAC Partner States helped me replicate solutions that have been implemented in other countries and customise them for South Sudan.” Thon Malek.
Thon Malek is an Information and Communication Technology lecturer at the Upper Nile University in Juba, South Sudan, and a graduate of the Master’s Programme in Embedded and Mobile Systems (EMoS) offered by the Center of Excellence for ICT in East Africa (CENIT@EA) in Arusha, Tanzania.
Thanks to the advanced knowledge and digital skills Thon acquired during his studies, he is making significant contributions to ICT human capital development in South Sudan. His focus lies on ICT curriculum development, staff development, and modelling educational products for South Sudan. Thon notes that he wants to participate in South Sudan’s growth through developing youth in ICT, as “technology can change lives”.
In 2021, during his studies at CENIT@EA, Thon was awarded a prestigious international award from the U.S. National Geographic Society for a digital tool that he developed to conserve wildlife in South Sudan. Looking back, he notes that this would not have been possible without the hands-on practical skills gained in the EMoS Programme.
CENIT@EA is a regional centre for digital skills development based in Arusha, Tanzania. It responds to the needs of digital transformation in the EAC through a market-driven Master’s Programme in Embedded and Mobile Systems and short-term digital skills training for ICT professionals, unemployed graduates and university lecturers. Thon is one of the 112 students from EAC Partner States who have benefitted so far from the fully paid scholarships provided by the German government.
Read more of Thon's journey leading to his success today here. 
Find more on the Master’s Programme in Embedded and Mobile Systems (MSc EMoS) here.