I’m quite obsessed with this photo — easily one of my favourites. It captures one of the most meaningful moments of my professional journey in education.
The girls in blue were my learners at PMM Girls’ School, participating in Adobe Youth Voices, a multimedia-driven, project-based learning program. Their task was to tell the compelling story of the little girl in pink at the center — an orphan born into poverty and living with HIV.
She was identified through the support of St. Francis Health Care Services, a community-based HIV/AIDS intervention organization in Buikwe District. The books and other items in the black paper bags were gifts the learners brought for her — a deeply moving gesture that went beyond anything I had expected.
This image has appeared in several of my presentations to illustrate how technology can empower learners and transform communities. Ironically, there’s no visible tech in the frame. Yet it was technology that made this experience possible — not through textbooks, television, YouTube, or simulations, but through authentic, human connection.
The students later shared reflections on the program, but I’m not sure any written account could fully capture what they learned. This wasn’t just an assignment — it was a lived experience. I was lucky to be there with a camera, but the girls truly lived it. I often wonder what they think or feel about it now.
The woman in red is a neighbor of the young girl, and she was fortunate to witness this unforgettable moment of empathy — the kind of connection we must nurture early in life.
In the end, it’s not about the technology. It’s about the human experience — the learning that endures. As we pursue EdTech, let’s remember: it only becomes truly meaningful when learning comes first.
