1.0 Project Overview
On Saturday, August 17, 2024, Tech Herfrica organized a comprehensive digital literacy and entrepreneurship training for 50 women at Bubayero Primary School, Dawaki Ward, Gombe State. As part of the Chat for Women’s Livelihood Accelerator program, this initiative leveraged partnerships with turn.io and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to create a WhatsApp Chat Service that facilitated learning digital, financial, and entrepreneurship skills. This training aimed to equip these women, who were farmers, and traders, with essential digital skills to enhance their business operations and livelihoods.
2.0 Training Methodology
The training began with introductions and a pre-assessment to gauge the participants’ initial digital and financial literacy levels. Participants were introduced to the “Her Local Market” Chat Service via WhatsApp, guiding them through its functionalities for self-paced learning. Local facilitators were available to guide participants and provide relevant training support. The session included practical exercises on product photography and leveraging smartphones for business growth, followed by a post-training survey to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
3.0 Training Sessions
The training sessions were designed to provide hands-on learning in the following key areas:
- Introduction to Technology: Participants were introduced to fundamental digital concepts, emphasizing the significance of technology in modern life.
- Benefits of Digital Tools: This module highlighted the opportunities digital tools offer, particularly in improving business operations and expanding market reach.
- Bookkeeping: Women learned how to manage and maintain accurate records for their businesses, crucial for financial tracking and growth.
- Using Smartphones Effectively: Participants explored the various functions of smartphones, understanding how these devices can be leveraged for business and learning.
- Creating Email Accounts: The women were taught how to open and manage email accounts, with many successfully creating one to enhance digital communication and access vital services.
- Uploading on WhatsApp Status: Women learned how to use WhatsApp status for business promotion, including tracking viewership.
- Sending WhatsApp Voice Notes: This practical session enhanced participants’ skills in digital communication through voice notes.
- Online Safety: The module covered the importance of strong passwords, recognizing scams, and other strategies for staying safe online.
- Creating Facebook Accounts: Participants were guided in opening Facebook accounts, enabling them to connect with broader networks and potential customers.
- Using Google Search: Women learned how to use Google effectively, a key skill for continuous learning and problem-solving.
4.0 Training Outcomes
- Increased Awareness: All 50 women (100%) reported gaining valuable knowledge on leveraging technology for income generation, with a newfound understanding of using digital tools to improve their businesses.
- Enhanced Online Learning: The number of participants engaging in online learning increased from 20 (40%) before the training to 50 (100%), marking a 60% improvement.
- Improved Social Media Skills: Every participant (100%) reported enhanced knowledge of using social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook groups for business purposes.
- Increased Motivation to Learn Online: A total of 47 participants (94%) stated that the training boosted their motivation to engage in online learning.
- Improved Email Proficiency: Initially, 30 participants (60%) knew how to open an email account. By the end of the program, all 50 participants (100%) could successfully create an email account, reflecting a 40% improvement.
- Boosted Confidence in Google Search: Confidence in using Google Search increased by 50% after the training.
- Economic Empowerment: Following the training, 100% of the participants reported newfound confidence in using their phones to generate income online, a significant rise from the initial 40%.
- Enhanced Social Media Engagement: Participants’ confidence in uploading WhatsApp statuses improved by 50%.
- Improved Entrepreneurial Skills: The training significantly enhanced participants’ digital literacy and entrepreneurship skills, with all women reporting a better understanding of how to grow their businesses.
- Practical Business Knowledge: The women gained practical knowledge on utilizing their skills and technology to start and manage their businesses.
5.0 Challenges and Solutions
Network connectivity issues and minor chatbot glitches were encountered but promptly resolved.
6.0 Key Findings and Impact
Participants demonstrated increased knowledge of digital tools and their applications, with a significant boost in confidence in using smartphones for business. The training fostered a sense of empowerment and motivation among the women, with the WhatsApp chat service playing a crucial role in facilitating continuous learning.
7.0 Lessons Learned
Participant Selection: Selecting women who already had access to smartphones but lacked knowledge on how to use them effectively proved beneficial, as they could immediately apply and practice what they learned.
Community Involvement: Working with community leaders to identify and mobilize participants led to good attendance, with 50 out of the 54 women who were invited, attending on time, and eager to learn.
Support from Community Leaders: Engaging educated community leaders to support the training facilitated smoother knowledge transfer, especially since the courses were hosted online. Their presence, combined with gathering the women in a conducive environment, proved more effective than allowing them to learn at their own pace during the soft launch.
Incentives: Providing data and transport stipends was a significant incentive that secured full participation and focus from the women as they were rest assured that they would not have to walk back home after the training.
8.0 Next Steps
Tech Herfrica will continue supporting participants through a dedicated WhatsApp group, encouraging them to share their experiences and learnings with other women. Building on the success of this training, plans are underway to expand the program to more communities in Gombe State.
9.0 Conclusion
The digital literacy and entrepreneurship training in Gombe State was a resounding success, empowering rural businesswomen with the skills they need to enhance their livelihoods. Tech Herfrica remains committed to supporting women in their journey toward economic independence through technology and financial inclusion.