Elizabeth interview - Chance for Childhood

Breaking barriers with tech: Elizabeth Ntege on transforming education in Africa

As one of our trustees at Chance for Childhood, Elizabeth brings deep expertise in technology and has a powerful personal mission: to break down barriers for young people across Africa.

With a career spanning over two decades in engineering, telecoms, and social change, she has consistently championed inclusive employment and digital innovation.

Born in England and raised in Uganda, Elizabeth’s journey has taken her from working in engineering to co-founding NFT Consult, a HR company which now operates in 12 countries and celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. We sat down with Elizabeth to explore how tech is transforming education, the innovative Disability Detect app that Chance for Childhood is pioneering, and the digital transformations shaping Africa’s future.

Can you tell us about your current role and career journey?

I’ve always been passionate about creating opportunities. My company, NFT Consult, was born out of a desire to prepare people for the workforce and break down barriers to employment, especially for young people. Africa has a huge youth population (the largest in the world – over 400 million young people aged 15 – 35), but job scarcity is a real issue. We focus on skills, employability, mental health and wellbeing, particularly for people with neurodivergence and disabilities who often face isolation. It’s not just about jobs – it’s about getting people into secure, supportive environments where they can grow and thrive.

What digital transformations are happening in Uganda right now?

There’s a lot of momentum in technology at the moment. I’m currently Chairperson of the ICT Association of Uganda, and the only woman on the board. We’re working on policies and governance around emerging technologies. Governments, including Uganda’s, are pushing for wider access to tech – making it cheaper and more accessible and training teachers to use it effectively. Companies are being asked to extend their reach into rural areas, not just stay in the big cities.

How can digital innovation improve education?

EdTech (education technology) is huge right now. For example, the national curriculum in Uganda just changed, and tech is helping teachers stay updated with the changes. Teachers no longer need to travel to Kampala for conferences and training – they can join online, often for free, making knowledge and learning much more accessible. Tech is also helping us create more curious minds. Young people are seeing beyond their towns and villages – they can see what opportunities are out there.

What drew you to Chance for Childhood?

I saw that Chance for Childhood was looking specifically for trustees in Africa as part of their shifting the power initiative, and I applied because it aligned with my values. I also run a charity supporting children in slum settlements in Uganda, so I had seen firsthand the difficult lives that those children face.

Chance for Childhood takes a holistic approach: it’s about restoring dignity to children, giving them the chance to enjoy their childhoods even in the most desperate situations. That really resonated with me.

What digital innovations are Chance for Childhood driving?

The Disability Detect App is a game-changer. It’s an opportunity to leverage technology for good. The traditional pen-and-paper methods of screening children are not scalable, but tech allows us to reach further, collect better data and respond faster.

It’s a huge benefit that we now get real-time feedback and data. Historically, most disability data has focused on European children. This app gives us a clearer picture of disability in African contexts and a better idea of how to support children and families. It’s estimated there are 29 million children living with disabilities in Eastern and Southern Africa, with real numbers likely to be higher.

RISE pic for Elizabeth page (1200 x 600 px) (1000 x 600 px)

“Historically, most disability data has focused on European children. This app gives us a clearer picture of disability in African contexts.”

The app helps tailor our responses; the support needed for a child with a disability being raised by a single mother versus one in a larger family will be different. Crucially, it helps detects invisible disabilities, such as neurodivergence and developmental difficulties – and there are many children with these conditions who would have previously gone undiagnosed.

Another important knock-on impact of the app is removing shame and stigma around disability, especially for mothers, who are often blamed for their child being born with a disability. Diagnosing children with specific conditions puts disability in a more scientific and medical context, removing the shame and stigma that is often associated. For a lot of mothers of children with disabilities, this is life changing. The app goes beyond screening children – it has a ripple effect that benefits whole communities.