Hi associates,
A version of this story was published on our website, this version is much better.
Below is a part we didn’t mention on our website…………because we saved it just for you! Enjoy!
This is a chronicle about deliberate Youths’ Technological Empowerment and development.
Our youths are intelligent, Hardworking, Resilient, and Competitive. The Problems they face are a real and legitimate opportunity. Nigerian youths have been vilified; the international media is littered with news of mind-blowing scams and schemes strategically coordinated by Nigerians. The most famous and easily recognizable is the “Nigerian Prince” scam.
The hunger and quest to make it by force even amid a system that appears to work against young people, frustrated and depressed are forced to resolve to criminal and illegitimate ways of making a living. The online and social media spaces have made it easy to connect and reach out to people across various regional and geographical lines. These have seen these youths create a mixed skill of;
- Psychological creativity
- Technological brilliance and
- High sense of International Economic Financing.
Very little surprisingly, the young Nigerians who had a legitimate opportunity to thrive, grow and get opportunities have either gone on to break world records, or contribute significantly to the innovation or invention in medicine, engineering, and Business. As of today, Africa has 4 unicorns, 3 of which are housed in Nigeria. This goes further to show a consistent pattern and a High tendency to succeed.
These issues are well understood, and it is no longer a contention if Nigeria as a country has the brain to thrive in tech, it’s now a matter of who is going to commit to enabling a fertile environment. With the proper skills and guidance, records and landmarks would be stepping stones.
Talking, Talking, Talking, and More talking! From Government officials, individuals, and various entities, No real action to facilitate this teeming environment. This is not going to happen anymore, as the bull would be held by the horn!
A bit to reduce the unemployment deficit, The hope to turn more young people away from crime & criminal activities, and A consistent conscious process to build an eco-system of young technologically savvy individuals who would use their skills to improve themselves, others around them, and Africa at large.
The Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy, and Ethics, in Partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation and The Imo State Government of Nigeria, has initiated a 2 year long ambitious program, to drive the digital and technological eco-system in Imo state to a whole new level. It is anticipated that by the end of the 2 years, Digital and technological literacy in the state would increase by more than 75%. The idea is not just improving the digital and technological eco-system utilizing knowledge, but also creating technological opportunities for its participants.
The Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy, and Ethics is glad to inform you of the “Digital Skills and Empowerment Project”, Funded by the Coca-Cola foundation. The 2-year-long project is expected to kick off on the 22nd of February 2023 and would by the end of it span train 200,000 people.
To have a comprehensive spread and cogency the Project would have 3 tracks which include the following;
- Paid Employment Track
- Entrepreneurship Track
- Skilled
- Unskilled
Kindly view the Project Road Map below.
Project Road Map
The overarching goal of this project is to create employment, increase income and move youths out of poverty, using digital and technological resources.
This project will pursue this goal in three ways:
- Digital Training
- Access to Workstations
- Access to Laptops.
1. Digital Training: This will follow 2 tracks:
A. Paid Employment Track: This track will prepare unskilled youths for full-time in-person or remote paid jobs in the global digital economy.
Training Strategy:
- Set up 40-capacity training centers for the 22 sub-urban and rural LGAs in Imo State to train youths in suburban and rural areas.
- Use Imo Entrepreneurship Centre and an independent training Centre to train youths in Owerri Metropolis.
- Training will be in-person in all the Centers.
B. Entrepreneurship Track: This track will prepare skilled and unskilled youths to make or increase income through freelancing and digital marketing.
I. Skilled: These include youths that already have skills (digital and non-digital) but are still poor because they are unable to market their services and products. These youths will be trained in digital marketing to enable them to market their products, increase income and hire more people. They include traders, artisans, transporters, agents, etc.
Training Strategy:
- Online training for those with the capacity to train online
- In-person training for those in sub-urban areas at the 22 training centers
- In-person training for those in the city at the two city training centers
- Liaise with unions to arrange training for members.
II. Unskilled: These are youths interested in E-Lancing but do not have the digital skills to e-lance. These youths will be trained in digital skills for e-lancing and also in digital marketing.
Training Strategy:
- In-person training on campuses
- Online training for those that have the capacity.
2. Access to Workstations:
- The project will partner with investors to set up 50 capacity workstations in each of the three Senatorial Zones in Imo State
- The workstation will be equipped with solar power and Star Link internet
- The workstation will be rented out to trainees as they secure jobs
3. Access to Laptops and Cell phones
- This project will sell new and fairly used laptops to trainees at discounted rates
- Trainees can pay in installments
- The project is partnering with lenders to minimize losses.
The Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy, and Ethics (CSAAE), is actively and intentionally taking steps towards reducing the Nigerian Princes online, seeking financial aid to facilitate monetary movement in reward for handsome compensation which always never happens!
