Hi there! Happy New Year 2021…
Every new year I write about what happened to me in the previous year. This helps me reflect back to that year and evaluate my successes and failures both personally and business-wise.
Firstly, let’s thank Allah for keeping us alive, and pray for those who couldn’t make it through, and hoping for a better year ahead “Ins sha Allah”.
2020 has been an unusual year all around the world because of the Covid-19 pandemic that struck the world by surprise. This pandemic period has disrupted a lot of things, and these uncertainties have made life so frustrating to almost all of us.
One thing for sure, that is keeping us going is TECHNOLOGY. Last year we truly felt the impact of technology in our lives and what its usage has done for us during this period.
Below is an interview I had on our National television on the impact of technology during the coronavirus pandemic.
Personal Development
If you ever wanted enough time to learn something new, this passed lockdown was your best chance. And if you didn’t, then you have wasted months without learning anything new. I have done a couple of online courses to develop both my soft and hard skills, and this has definitely prepared me to face the coming year with strength and more knowledge.
Business
Furthermore, I would like to talk about my businesses. My company Faalen Technologies is doing very well, especially in Web Design services. We’ve built five websites and a learning portal for a college in 2020. Our revenue last year has improved a lot compared to previous years. Since 2015, we have designed over 30 different websites for clients and this has built us a strong portfolio to brag about. Faalen Technologies is one of the top web design companies in The Gambia.
In January 1st 2020, I launched Skills.gm, an online skills directory for skilled workers in The Gambia to have a platform to showcase their talents and get reached by more potential clients.
After 3 months, I decided to integrate skills training to expand the company. I then rented a space and make it a hub for Digital Skills Training and started training people on Graphic Design, Video Editing and Web Design. So far, we have trained 36 students on these skillsets. And I am glad that some students are tremendously making good use of what they have learned so far.
My team and I have been working very hard to keep things going, and I am so glad to have an amazing team.
Our digital skills training has been doing very well and students appreciate our lecture delivery methods, and to have come up with such a space to help youngsters ignite their digital skills. Below are some photos.
Other Activities
In February, I was shortlisted to pitch at the Dubai Startup Pitching Competition. I pitched about skills.gm online skills directory. This helped me expose the idea behind skills.gm to a wider audience.
At The Dubai StartUp Pitching Competition
In May, I also participated in a hackathon as a mentor called HackCovid Challenge, in which we coached tech entrepreneurs that have solutions to help businesses, schools, health care and the community to keep it going during the pandemic with technological solutions.
Mentor at HackCovid Hackathon 2020
Publication
I have recently updated my textbook ICT for Beginners, which was first published in 2014, and have sold around 2000 copies since then. This textbook is currently the only standard ICT textbook written by a Gambian author.
furthermore, I would want to thank my followers on my tech blog Faal ICT Academy for inspiring me to create more content. My blog is still Gambia’s premier tech blog. Even though I haven’t posted much this year, the blog managed to have better statistics than the previous years because of our rich content. We got more than 12,265 page views, and over 8,203 unique visitors. We have got 438 subscribers. We have 7,358 hits from organic search, which I think is pretty amazing. This statistics might not look much but we appreciate it. My YouTube Channel has now 1,712 subscribers.
Most Popular Posts in 2020
How To Restore Device Drivers From Windows.old folder After Re-installation
Download and Install Apps in Windows Using CMD
How to Become a Computer Geek
Is Wikipedia A Good Source Of Information?
Effective Presentation Techniques
10 Quick Keyboard Tricks Everyone Should Know
Lastly, in 2020 I celebrated my tenth year anniversary as a teacher, and here are a few screenshot comments from my former students and friends.
Personal Life
I can’t believe my son Ibrahim is now 4 years old and Muhammad just turned 2 years. I’m so excited to see them growing. Ibrahim just started going to school and attending Quranic studies. Meanwhile, last year I have secured their online spaces by purchasing and preserving a domain name for them, you never know, they may need it in the future.
It may seem crazy but forward thinking is key LOL
As we enter 2021, I wish us a very successful year ahead with more wins.
Once again, have a blessed New Year!
Trikz_tk
January 1, 2021 4:14 pmNice setup great achievement