ESVDI to Empower 10,000 Youths on Basic Digital Literacy Skills

Mary Nnah

Education Sustainability and Vocational Development Initiative (ESVDI), a youth-led national development organisation recently launched the basic digital Literacy skills project for youths and facilitated by youths that will be implemented in over 30 participating African countries by over 300 selected Ambassadors.

The Global Education Ambassadors Programme (GEAP), leverages on creative communication, training, storytelling, and presentation by Ambassadors in marginalised communities, rehabilitation centers, elementary schools, secondary schools, tertiary institutions, care homes, organizations, orphanages, prisons, etc to empower more youths for decent jobs, employment, and entrepreneurship while facilitating knowledge exchange and highlighting what works and what doesn’t in ICT.

The project was launched to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5, 8 and to rewrite the current research data of UNESCO, African Union, and World bank reports on Africans who are digitally literate.

At the Ambassadors orientation, the Executive Director of ESVDI, Ubani Vivian, described the project as one that aims to increase collaboration, cross-cultural learning and build a network of youths from diverse backgrounds that would bring about transformational change in our world.

She added that the project runs in cycles at four months intervals and is very competitive. It is hoped that the project would receive the support of other donors for continued implementation, as it has the potential to be scaled up and adapted in more countries and regions of the world.

Following Ubani’s remarks, the founder of Sustainable Higher Education Internship Program (SHIP) India Dr. Smriti Pahwa the partner organization on the project – Ann Mesembe, Coordinator American Spaces Calabar, Dr. Takahisa Karita Co-founder & COO UNIPLAT Switzerland, Mr. Anthony Amadi founder CZITApp downloader amongst other partners have continued to support the project. Other stakeholders who were also present at the orientation pledged to support the implementation of the project and use their resources to amplify the work in their country.

The project implementation which began in June to end in September for the first cycle has included activities such as Ambassadors training, visitation to partner institutions, organizations, communities, etc depending on the participating audience, and empowering them using a customized training curriculum designed by the organization.

The project will engage young women and men, graduates, undergraduates, Persons with disabilities, employed, unemployed, etc between the ages of 15 – 35 years with more interest in women and girls.

The modules on the curriculum include but are not limited to working with computers, communication and interacting with computers, how to maintain safety online and social media engagement, working with computer applications, professional development courses on CV writing, presentations, etc; in preparation for the future of work.

The activities so far have all provoked thought and offered valuable insight on how to confront disruption with opportunity in today’s educational context in such a rapidly changing world. Digital literacy is one of many categories in SDGs that you could find success in by changing your strategy.

Ubani Vivian, a young graduate of Cross River University of Technology, Global Education ambassador, and pacesetter who has continued to be a voice for Transformational Education began the Initiative in 2019 as an undergraduate during the industrial strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to provide education for schools in rural communities through volunteers.

This project has been one of the world’s largest professional networking opportunities, with more than 300 members from 30 nations. This is a tremendous service to those who do not have access to digital education, especially in rural areas. The depth of research is evident, and it’s clear that the ambassadors are all masters of impact with a few carefully chosen approaches

She encourages youths to continue to actively contribute to nation-building through civic engagement in building the Africa of our dreams. All levels of community members are also encouraged to participate in the advocacy for digital literacy among the coming generations.

Through the GEAP initiative, the futuristic strategies for enhancing digital literacy for educational purposes through community development programs are being objectified.