At least three states including the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Kaduna, and Bauchi states, have been targeted with digital hub establishment training to boost internet access, bridge the digital gap, and network in hard-to-reach.
Board Chair, Center for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD), Professor Amina Kaidal, made this known at a three-day capacity training in partnership with Hello World, for seven selected communities in the states, in Abuja.
She said the training will not only bridge the digital divide but will also serve as a means of engaging young people in productive ventures.
She said that under the project, the digital hubs tagged ‘Hello Hubs’, target communities that are hard to reach, where in most cases you don’t find internet connectivity.
“What CITAD is doing is to open up these communities to have easy access to Internet and so the training is to empower the communities and the most significant thing for us is to see that these communities are connected to the Internet so that they can experience what others are experiencing in terms of communication.”
“We went more organizations to collaborate with us so that we can continue to expand our services to more communities.”
Director, Implementation and Programmes, Hello World, Komuyistan Fiona-Esther, explains that in partnership with CITAD, the organization is training workshop participants to support their communities bridge the digital divide.
“One of the things we are doing together with CITAD is that we have brought together seven communities to train them on how to build their own digital apps so that they can support their communities to bridge the digital divide.
“We selected two participants for the three-day training and a three-day build-up activity. The training will help them to understand what is a Hello Hub, how they can build their own Hello Hubs, how they can train and support their own communities build more hubs that will bridge the digital divide,” she said
Participant at the training Ismail Shuaibu from Dakwa community in Abuja Municipal Council, (AMAC), Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), expressed optimism that his participation will benefit his community.
Also Wasila Yahaya, a participant drawn from Jema’re in Bauchi state, said so far, she has started learning some of the key roles the Hello Hubs will play in her community in terms of access to Internet network.
The benefiting communities include Dakwa, Pasepa, Tungan Ashere and Leleyi Gwari in the FCT as well as Jama’are and Itas in Bauchi state and Ƙafanchan in Kaduna State.
