By Abdi Ali
Published June 17, 2020
A social networking platform has launched a programme to equip the youth across black Africa with digital skills.
Facebook says its My Digital World initiative is a consolidation of all its digital literacy programmes aimed at equipping ‘the youth and general public across Sub-Saharan Africa with digital skills needed to navigate the digital world’ that it is from June 15 offering virtually ‘to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic’.
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The free training that is open to youth aged 13 years and above that Facebook says also focuses on teachers, parents and guardians,includes:
- Up to 90-minutes Instructor-led live webinars featuring presentations, demos and virtual discussions
- Digital marketing campaigns highlighting best practices, tips, quizzes and polls on digital literacy topics, with content delivered through Facebook and Instagram
- Modules on online safety, privacy, news and media literacy, and digital citizenship.
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“We remain committed to equipping young people and the general public across Sub-Saharan Africa with the vital digital skills needed to navigate the digital world, especially during these challenging times of COVID-19. Never has it been more important to invest in, and train communities and the next generation of leaders to better understand and utilise the power of digital tools to take full advantage of what the internet has to offer,” says Phil Oduor, Policy Programs Manager for Economic Impact and Digital Literacy at Facebook.
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Facebook says it is ‘committed to the well-being of individuals and communities’ visiting its platforms and that it ‘has invested in initiatives designed to build awareness on responsible online behaviour, critical thinking and understanding of social issues’.
