An NGO, Hope for the Village Child (HVC), on Friday, trained 27 girls in Kaduna on harnessing digital opportunities to become entrepreneurs.
The training, which was part of activities to commemorate the 2023 International Day of the Girl-Child (IDGC) held every Oct. 11, was themed: “Digital generation. Our generation”.
Speaking in Kaduna, Mrs Ruth Barrera, the Head of Education Unit of the foundation, said training the girls on internet usage and prospects would make them self-reliant, useful to themselves and employers of labor.
Barrera added that the training on digital technology was aimed at educating the girls on how to market their skills and products.
She noted that girls, who were still in school, could use technology in learning in the classroom and at home.
Barrera, however, decried the use of technological devices (especially phones) in uploading self pictures excessively and doing other meaningless contents on social media by girls.
She also said the training would broaden the horizon of the girls to the use of social media and other technological platforms for financial gains.
“This training will provide creative solutions and greater potentialities for innovations that meet women and girls needs and promote gender equality, ”she said.
Earlier, a resource person, Mr Immanuel Yammy, said the goal of the training was to expose the girls to online market stalls, financial tools like WhatsApp applications, YouTube, among others available on the internet, to expand their businesses.
Yammy, a data analyst and a Software engineer, noted that the foundation wanted the girls to understand that their android phones could go a long way in helping them to drive online traffic and achieve business growth and transformation.
He called for reform of the country’s education curriculum with emphasis on the teaching of science and technology from primary school to stimulate critical thinking among children, including girls.
He said being technologically literate would fast track the girls thinking and help them to generate income to cater for themselves and families.
One of the girls, Miss Emmanuella Philip, a secondary school student, who does decorations for event, said the training had enlightened her on how to use social media to advertise her works.
Philip said, prior to the training, she never had an idea of using social media to earn income, noting that she would ensure maximum use of her phone and data in income generation.
However, Miss Alice Shut, a university student and Miss Joyce Adamu, a hairstylist, said they were aware of using social media and other technological platforms in generating income.
They said that the training had broadened their horizon on the knowledge of the use of technology which would enhance their capacity and ensure more patronage for their businesses.
NAN reports that the girls, mainly students, were selected from low income households and drawn from Kujama and Maraban Rido communities in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State.
