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Meet Amanda Evelyn Baatyo

Content supervisor at Human Network International

For every student leaving university, the world ahead is filled with great uncertainty.The question to which they are supposed to find an answer is, "What next after University?".In today's career spotlight, we feature an incredible lady who found that answer in quite an amazing way. This lady is  Amanda Evelyn Baatyo, A Content Supervisor at Human Network International, a global development organization dedicated to bringing the benefits of technology to individuals and organizations working in the developing world. This is what we asked

So what does Evelyn do as a Content Supervisor and what motivated her to pursue that career path?

As a 1-6-1 content supervisor,my greatest concern each day is making sure that the 1-6-1 service is working.This is a service that avails on demand information to people over a basic mobile phone.The topics currently available include agriculture, health, weather forecasts, games, newsbeat among others. It is free to any airtel subscriber. So each day i must ensure that the service is working well. This involves calling 161 daily to ensure that the codes are working and test *161# to ensure that the USSD channel is working.
 
I also manage day-to- day relations with the content production team,Submit content scripts to the content production team for translation and recording,review content to ensure that it meets established best practices for the 1-6- 1 Service and ensure that all received content(sound files and text files) is of high quality, in the agreed-upon format and delivered on time and ensure consistency, grammatical accuracy, and clarity of the messages.
 
Among others, i do data analysis.This involves preparing statistics related to 1-6-1,analysis of monthly statistics,make reports on usage for partners.

So what was it like finishing University and getting into your first job?

Oh my...Where do i start from. Well, in my last semester of my final year, one of the hardest questions for many finalists suddenly hit me."now that your finishing campus,what next? Where do you go from here".Honestly i didn't have an answer to this question.
It really got me thinking but couldn't figure it out. Its around that time that all you hear from majority of the finalists is about jobs, apply here,apply there..interview...I happen to have missed the second class by a few points and this did nothing but to  demoralize me the more.The future seemed blurred as it seemed like there were no opportunities for a fresh graduate like me that had missed the first class.

I found my answer in the Lord after my University Alumnus, Roland shared how he got his first job without even presenting his academic papers attributing his success to God . I was greatly encouraged to keep trusting God. All the days that followed i would say affirmations to myself and also prayed to God

On the day i officially left campus, was my reporting day for my first job at Murchison Electric Company.A place i worked for close to two months before i joined Human Network International as a Content Supervisor.This was a link that a friend shared with me and told me to look through the terms of reference and see if i could handle then try my luck.I was excited and first thing next day in office i applied for the job.A week later i was notified that i had been among the  finalists for the interviews.What a joy i felt. I got through the first round with the Country Manager, next round is was with the regional director .

These were  interviews that tested IQ, ettiquette and creativity which we are not mainly taught in a classroom setting. We are 2 finalists and i emerge as the winner after a series of interviews, follow ups and submissions.

Organisations, companies and partners are looking for abilities beyond what your academic papers say. The qualifications will open doors for you but there is a lot more you need to keep in there.Above all, God listens to prayer!His timing is perfect. 

So now that you have a job, what is cool about this kind of job , Are there challenges?

It calls for lots of innovation and creativity to serve your target population accordingly.There is always something new to learn.

What skills does one need to be a Content Supervisor , how important are those skills and how can someone perfect such skills?

I would say one needs a good attitude, willingness to serve beyond self and the creativity!Thinking outside the box.Different projects come with different requirements hence requiring different approach

How did school (High school and University) prepare you for the career you are pursuing today?

I did Bachelors of science in quantitative economics at Makerere University. There was a lot i studied but with my kind of work, those that stand out are data analysis,communication skills, decision theory and Research.

These are "classroom based" and directly related with my day to day roles. However, there are things i learnt outside class that have been very helpful such as self drive.  Unlike in school where you run by the school program, on campus it is totally different.You have no teachers following up on you (to make sure your in the right place at the right time).

So at the end of the day if you want to achieve something you have to be your own leader.Set your personal objectives,targets and values. To date before i start my day, i write first.This helps me priotize and and make evaluation easy.

Has Amanda had any rewarding events so far, if yes, what are some moments that made you proud to be a Content Supervisor?

My fulfilling moments are those when you get to listen to stories of people who are being impacted by the work your doing and living a better life.

So what is the future like for this career field? What trends are you seeing that are going to define the field 5 years to come?

We are in an era where almost everything is going digital. ICT4D is one the most powerful tools for development.The opportunities are enormous.

Finally what advise would you give someone especially a young lady who dreams of walking on the same career path you are on?

First, Trust in the lord at all times.Commit your plans to the Almighty and he will establish them.Strive to be better every other day.Open to learning and ready to bring on your creativity and innovation

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