Bridging Gender Gap Through Training Of Nigerian Girls In Tech Skills – Independent Newspaper Nigeria
LAGOS – Rachel Wuese Tyona is one of the young Nigerians who have been making a lot of impact through their social responsibility activities of giving back to the society.
The Makurdi, Benue State-based Rachel Tyona, who described herself as a consultant in youth development, is a distinguished leader renowned for her resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment to societal progress.
With a background in Medical Physiology from Benue State University, she has seamlessly integrated academic prowess with years of hands-on experience in volunteerism and community engagement.
Rachel’s journey epitomises servant leadership, as she continuously uplifts marginalised communities and amplifies the voices of the youth.
Rachel Tyona is the first Female Speaker of the Benue State Youth Parliament and Vice Chairperson of the Confederation of State Youth Parliament Speakers in Nigeria.
She is well known for championing youth-centric policies and initiatives, earning her the moniker ‘The Speaking Speaker’ for her eloquence and tenacity.
Rachel’s ultimate goal is to have a meaningful and beneficial impact on the lives of those around her as well as her immediate environment. She stands to make a difference in the world.
Currently serving as the Executive Director of Ngodoo Development Initiative (NDI), Rachel has continued to spearhead transformative projects which empower youths and women across Benue State and beyond.
In an interactive session with Sunday Independent, she explained that Ngodoo Development Initiative envisions a world where every youth, especially the girl-child, has equal opportunities to thrive towards the future they want.
According to her, the NDI initiatives include basic education outreach, girl-child sensitisation campaigns, and the annual GirlTECH programme, which equip young girls with tech skills for success in the digital era.
She stressed: “This programme is held in honour of the International Day of Girl-Child.”
Indeed, as she informed Sunday Independent, her impact extends globally, as evidenced by her role in organising the Nigerian side event on sustainable climate at COP 2023 in Dubai.
She maintained that she is a passionate climate change activist, advocating for actionable solutions to mitigate its impacts.
With a certificate in Project Management from the University of Washington, Rachel Tyon’s capacity to lead impactful initiatives and drive meaningful change is further enhanced.
She maintained that her multifaceted expertise, coupled with dedication to community empowerment and environmental stewardship, placed her in position as a formidable force for positive transformation.
She maintained that she will continue to leverage her skills and experiences for social change, and will remain a beacon of hope and inspiration, shaping a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
Few days ago, Rachel Tyona’s Ngodoo Development Initiative (NDI) organised this year’s GirlTECH programme, termed Girl- Tech 3.0, which attracted a large number of girls who came to acquire knowledge of IT free of charge.
She told Sunday Independent that GirlTech started off as a critical initiative to commemorate the International Day of the Girl-Child celebrated on October 11 of every year. The aim of the programme, she stressed, is to provide the girl-child with self sustainable skills and bridge the gender gap in technological space.
She informed Sunday Independent that this year’s girl-tech 3.0 started on October 7 and ended on October 9, 2024, two days before the official date of the International Day of the Girl-Child.
According to her, the girls learnt a number of skills which included Graphic Design taught by Jeffrey O. Attah. The skill, she added, was taught and practiced by the participants immediately by the students.
The NDI Executive Director informed that she personally also gave the girls a simple tutorial on how to use canvas for simple picture and video editing. All these, she stressed, were achieved on the first day, which was October 7.
She stated that on the second day, which was October 8, “The girls learnt content creation and video editing. This was taught by Miss Scholaristica Sule. This was an interesting session and very impactful on the girls as many of them showed interest in this field.
“The creative writing session was taught by Miss Doosuur Apir- Ityu, which was informative and enlightening to the girls.”
Going further, she said that on the third day, October 9, the leadership session was taught by Miss Ochanya Okoh, during which the girls learnt how to be confident, assertive and those with leadership abilities were taught how to harness their skills.
Giving further detail, Rachel Tyona told Sunday Independent that the Girl-Tech is a critical initiative of Ngodoo Development Initiative.
According to her, the idea for GirlTech was born out of the need to address and bridge the gender gap in the technological space.
She said that it is an annual three-day programme that takes place in October, restating that it is always held by her organisation to commemorate International Day of the Girl-Child which is celebrated on October 11.
She stressed: “Girl Tech is about providing and enabling girls with tech skills to bridge the gender gap in the tech space, but also about empowering them with skills that are self-sufficient and can help them provide for themselves.
“This project is also about providing a platform and opportunities for the girls to learn, build their skills and confidence in order to be successful.”
Explaining the aims and objectives of GirlTech, she said that one of the goals of the programme is to provide skills that will enable young girls to be self-sufficient.
She said it is also meant to bridge the gender gap in the technological space and to provide a platform that will serve as a stepping stone for young girls to start a career in tech and provide opportunities that will help them succeed and upscale in the tech space.
She said: “All over the world, there is a gender gap in the technological space. A report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) finds that women account for under 20 percent of tech jobs in Nigeria, falling below the worldwide average where more women are joining in the technological field.
“Girl-tech was created to commemorate the International Day of the Girl-Child. The aim of this initiative is to bridge the gender gap in the tech space, especially in Nigeria and also to address the unique challenges girls face in Nigeria.”
She informed that since the inception of the project, GirlTech has trained over 100 girls in different fields, including Graphics Design Content and Creative Writing, Content Creation and Digital Marketing.
According to her, during the recent edition of the programme, 48 girls were trained and given workshops on public speaking and leadership.
Rachel Tyona disclosed that for now, GirlTech is purely self funded, with support from some well-meaning friends of Ngodoo Development Initiative and strategic partnership with other organisations.
She stressed: “Since our organisation is self-funded, the resource persons of NDI are paid out of the pockets of the Executive Director (herself). Our projects are not only for Benue State.
“Our reach will be further expanded to other states in the country with time. But, as the popular saying goes, ‘Charity begins at home.’ Benue State is the home of NDI, so it has began here.”
On the condition of the girl-child in Nigeria, she said: “My take on the condition of the girl-child in Benue State and Nigeria in general is that our girls are ignorant of many things, and rightly so, because they have not been informed.
“With information, they will be tutored on matters that concern them personally and the society at large and they can be impactful with time.”
Rachel Tyona also spoke on the condition of the Nigerian youths. On this she stated: “The condition of the Nigerian youth is pitiful and alarming to say the least.
“Many bright minds are wasting away because of lack of proper training and nurturing and an avenue to showcase their talents.
“Inclusion is one major aspect that the government needs to work on to change the condition that the youths have found themselves in, adding youths to political spheres will develop the country greatly, also creating avenues for creative minds to express their ideas and funding for those who need it.
“And job opportunities and skill acquisition schemes should be put in place to enable the youths to improve their lives.”
