By Amos Odeh,Yenagoa.
As a follow-up to activities commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child, marked on October 11th annually, a Yenagoa-based Non Governmental Organization, dubbed The Voice of the Ijaw Girl Child (VIGC) Initiative in partnership with Think Health Education and Social Care Initiative, another NGO, has launched the “Reinvent and Thrive Masterclass” in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital.
The Masterclass is a six-week Train-the -Traners workshop for girls on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Social Media Management and entrepreneurial skills, for girls.
The aim is to empower Ijaw girls in tertiary institutions and secondary schools with digital AI skills that can be used for long term career goals in other for them to be economically empowered and to train others after successful completion of the programme.
Speaking at the flag-off the six-week training workshop in Yenagoa, with the theme: “Empowering Next Generation of Digitally Smart Girls,” Dr. Anthonia Garner, Executive Director of Think Health Initiative, stated that the Masterclass training was armed with the long term objective to have the a generation of young ijaw Girls who are Tech-Savvy and can compete globally in the digital space to impact in the world.
Dr. Garner, who is based in the United Kingdom (UK), and heads “The Health and Substance Misuse Directorate, noted that girls are being trained by experts on leadership and mentorship with adequate long term guidance provided after the workshop to ensure that the goal of empowering vulnerable girls was achieved for beneficiaries to also train other girls with knowledge gained.
“We know that there is a lot for our girls to catch up with globally that’s what drives this training. It is a non profit initiative meant to empower young girls. We are going beyond identifying opportunities but also equipping them with the right tools to teach and train other girls in the future. The programme was designed to fulfill these yawning gaps for skills empowerment for the ijaw girl child to reinvent herself and thrive globally in the digital space..
“We do have huge plans for the ijaw girl child. It will be hundred percent online training. The modules are “Understanding Artificial Intelligence (AI);l Tools” “Creativity and Productivity.” Dr. Garner stated.
Mrs Timipre Tobi Ebiringa, Executive Director, “Voice of the Ijaw Girl Child,” highlighted that the girls will be equipped with AI Mastery for Creativity and Productivity with a long term objective to make the girls train others having been successful.
Mrs Ebiringa said that the training shall also boost participants social media skills and enable them manage online communities effectively and video editing with practical hands on exposures that shall make them not just content creators but monetizing their gains to teach other girls on the long term.
She added that data was provided for the online training for all participants, as practical knowledge was explored for proper knowledge assimilation. Mrs Ebiringa assured of proper follow up of the girls to ensure that they stay in the path for adequate mentorship and proper leadership upbringing.
“It’s a train the trainers workshop. This workshop equips these girl participants to be independent social managers, business developers and content creators for brands. This is an economic empowerment opportunity for these teenage girls for the future. Most of the vulnerabilities they face are because there’s nothing they can hold on to economically. That makes them easy preys for gender predators.” She continued.
“This opportunity equips them to not only acquire skills and knowledge but to enable them make more informed decisions for themselves as they grow older to face the real world. We urge them to take this training seriously. We shall monitor them for adequate follow up and also urge them to share their experiences with others not opportuned to be here.” The VOIGC Executive Director, concluded.
Some participants who are students from different secondary schools in Bayelsa State, thanked the organisers for giving them the opportunity to be empowered with digital skills that make them self reliant and economic viable for the future.
They assured that they shall be committed to learning and impart the knowledge gained to others.
Some participants, Miss Williams Miracle and Miss Bokolo Fanamukoviezibe, stated that: ” from this they’ve learnt a lot. As girls there are more that we can do. There are ways of earning money. We can do profitable things online now with this training.”
Ms. Kaka Melody from Anyama Montessori School, Tombia, recalled what she learnt:
“This training has given me knowledge on being independent, having some digital AI skills that has made me competitive. It has given me an edge over others in my community. Thanks to the organisers.”
For Miss Christabel and Miss Isokunah Laura, they stated that: “Doing this training can also make me have some skills. With this training I am determined to explore the opportunities available in the digital AI space.” She hinted.
The organisers concluded that they shall reconvene in six -weeks upon completion of the workshop to assess progress made with a view to reappraise the impact of the workshop on participants.
