Youth Initiative for
Sustainable Human Development in Africa (YiSHDA) have successfully implemented
the 2014 International Girls in ICT Day with the theme: “Promoting Girls’ Participation in ICT”.
To commemorate the day, a two-days event was outlined: First, an ICT Training for Girls and the training brought together 30 Girls from 3 Science Secondary School in the FCT. The training was centered on "How to Build a Blog Site with WordPress" . The training was held on May 27, 2014.
The WordPress training is aimed at introducing the Girls into the WordPress world and showing them simple steps of building a website. The idea is to also make the Girls become better website designers and how they can make money from Blogging.
The facilitator for the ICT training was Mrs. Damilola Olawale a Professional Project and IT Manager as well as Educational Programme Advisor.She is also an inspiring and motivational performer, leader and founder of Sprout Consulting, an ICT 4 Development consulting firm with special interest in ICT4Education.
Secondly, an open-day event with 250 Girls from 5 Science Secondary School in the FCT in attendance. The event among other things features a Talk on Promoting Girls' Participation in ICT, Goodwill Messages from Organizations, and Musical Presentations from Girls themselves. The event was held on May 28, 2014 at the Multipurpose Hall (Hall of Fame), Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja-Nigeria.
The President/CEO of Youth Initiative for Sustainable Human Development in Africa (YiSHDA), Joseph Emmanuel Yaba said the idea behind the Girls in ICT Day is
to create a platform where girls can be encouraged and aspired to use ICT and
build their career in the ICT field. He also reinstated the commitment of
YiSHDA to continue to inspire and educate young people by building their
capacity, Leadership and responsibility skills.
Also speaking at the event, the National Programs Coordinator of Junior Achievement Nigeria-Mrs. Franca Nnaji Thomas said that Junior Achievement Nigeria aims to encourage entrepreneurship in young people and ICT happens to be a great opportunity to make money, especially as a consultant for organizations etc. She also said that Junior Achievement Nigeria will be organizing and providing an opportunity for Girls to learn trades/skills in August during the long holiday.
Ikenna Anyadike the CEO of
Connoisseur Consults charged the cross section of participating students at the
event on the importance of embracing ICT. Stressing on the fact that ICT is a
veritable avenue through which girls can redefine themselves and earn the
respect of peers and society in general. He also went
on to encourage the girls to take advantage of the vast resources ICT has to
offer. He sighted examples of notable females who have made indelible marks in
the ICT sector.
It is common sayings that, no nation can
grow beyond the education of its people. Women folk are more in number than
their men folk in any society; it is, therefore, obvious that the
training of the girl- child toward ICT is of paramount. The girls are also
challenged with the mind set to be focused in setting benchmark standards in
ICT.
Special thanks to our Partners/sponsors:-Sprout Consulting, FCT Agency
for Science and Technology (FAST), Junior Achievement Nigeria, Digital Peers
International, Connoisseur Consults, Decipher Solutions, IEVAWC, and The World
Bank Youth Forum.
