TOPIC: Promoting Cross Cultural understanding and enhancing Youth-Adult Partnership using IT: The Nigerian Experience

Young people are generally the oil that influences the growth and stability of a nation. They are the tomorrow of today; hence they play a vital role in enhancing the development of a multicultural and multi religious country like Nigeria. Nigeria is a country of more than 140 million people with over 250 ethnic groups and many religions. This difference has caused a lot of misunderstanding and a selfish protection  of interest by various groups even at the expense of other groups. Nigeria is also faced with the challenge of effectively deploying Information Technology (IT) tools that will cut across all the stakeholders in different regions of the country. Hence a lot of IT initiatives `die at birth’ due to the environmental weeds of social hazards. In effectively reaching all stakeholders in a country, two things are obvious, a technique which works for a region will not work for another. More so, reaching young people is a sure way of accomplishing the unity, sense of understanding and effective dialogue required to drive the vision of development in a country. In 2000, Digital Peers International (DPI) started DIGITEST, an IT-based camp for young people aged between 8 and18, aimed at teaching young people basic IT skills, including web designs and animation.. The camp between 2000 and 2003 was held in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria (Abuja) and later moved to other states covering the North, West and Southern parts of the country. My experience as a volunteer for digital Peers international in the last four years has shown the following. 1.      Policy makers find it easier to listen to children when they communicate using IT tools that the adults find fascinating and interesting. 2.      Young people in Nigeria know little or nothing about the condition and living standard of other young people in other parts of the country, such that when they come face to face with children from other ethnic groups, share experience with them and build a team spirit through the competition, they find it easy to understand the meaning of developing policies that favor all. 3.      IT can change the perception of people to other ethnic groups. In 2006 when DIGITEST was in Cross Rivers State of Nigeria, Cross Rivers is known for tourism as it plays host to the Obudu Cattle Ranch and the Tinapa Free Trade Zone, the web design competition was fashioned to meet with the realities of the host state. However, the children who were at the Jigawa camp in 2005(a northern State) determined the theme of the year. Though these children were from different states they were able to sit in a hall and decide on what to do. Because each participant also belonged to a team of four, they learnt the values and meaning of team spirit and democratic leadership. The result is the obvious, respect for culture, individual intelligence and religions between participants. Interesting the camp is running currently as l write in the federal capital territory with about 620 participants in attendance and for the first time policy makers are listening with aim of implementing, the suggestions of the participants. Top officials in the government circle have been part of the program. The program has also been training an average of 400 children per year on the use of IT and quite a number are moving into this field to build the ever depleting work force of the country affected by brain drain. From a university community, the experience becomes slightly different. In 2003 l was part of a team of young people that organized the first IT (Information Technology) seminar in the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), for four years we pushed the idea of a driven university through various seminar and interactive workshop and this year the school started working on an IT policy of making LAUTECH the home of IT inventions in Nigeria. So far so good the school has procured computers for Computer Aid international to set up an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Centre in the school. Registrations of the school are carried out online. The school has a home grown portal. Recently we organized a policy forum between the school and the management of the university to showcase the 100dollar laptop and to bring to fore issues and challenges faced by young people in the university. The meeting was centered on the maximization of the school’s facilities and how the facilities could be improved upon. The meeting fostered a dialogue between the school management and the student and the school agreed to review the 100 dollar laptop in order to come up with ways on how to improve on it. The school management also agreed to build partnership with other higher institutions abroad to develop a partnership that would facilitate a study exchange. The first time we organized the first IT seminar in LAUTECH Ogbomosho. The whole community and the university of over five hundred thousand had only a cyber café. Today, the community in four years has about 12cyber cafes and the university campus is wifi-enabled. IT fosters dialogue for development in a direct and indirect manner that would enable effective communication between all stake holders, the effect of such a dialogue can be seen in the development of a web portal by Ogun State government in Nigeria after hosting DIGITEST 2004 or the adoption of an IT policy by LAUTECH management after four years of advocacy. The effect of soldering relationships, religion and culture in Nigeria cannot be achieved in one day but the gradual process is seen when participants of DIGITEST from 36 states of the federation live together in a camp for 2 week that the distance seen in the current generation can be bridged using IT tools. More urgently is the participation of young people in decision making processes that affect their lives and though our culture in Africa does not permit a young person to be part of the decision table when adults are sitted but this has been demystified by the interactions of LAUTECH school management and the students in making the school the home of IT inventions in Nigeria. Thank You EwaJesu Asala Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 6.05 GB (40%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 10 minutes ago Details

My 2007 essay

The Nigerian State Series

Dear Global Citizens,

It has become imperative for  me to  devote time to examining the voices of Nigerian citizens as regards the state of our nation and the rising cry of the pssiblity of another civil protest againt Government actions come 2013. Please note that this is not to speak for or against the current administration but to examine a growing concern in Nigeria
The 1st in the series is this article:


Jaye Gaskia wrote:

'A new Tourism Masterplan to galvanise the economy through tourism requires N5bn to formulate' - This is according to Tourism Minister!
Haba! What happened to the 2008 Tourism Masterplan that was never implemented? What do you require to do to put a master plan together that requires 5 Billion Naira just to formulate?
 This spenthrift government is going to empty our treasury in no time. With the
loss of 5 Trillion Naira to looting alone in the past 2 years [at a Monthly looting rate of 214 Billion Naira - the yearly budget for 2 to 3 federal ministries] plus the loss over the previous 10 years in the oil sector alone of over 17 Trillion Naira to extra budgetary theft [the size of 4 annual federal budgets]; it seems that the Nigerian looting class is engaging in 'anticipatory looting' - that is looting the future in advance!
 At this rate Another January Uprising is An Imperative! Let Us Take Back Nigeria from these 'akotiletas'!

Young professionals programme

The United Nations is looking for highly qualified candidates who are ready to launch a professional career as an international civil servant. The young professionals programme (YPP) is a recruitment initiative that brings new talent to the United Nations through an annual entrance examination. For young, high-calibre professionals across the globe, the examination is a platform for launching a career at the United Nations. This programme builds upon the national competitive recruitment examination (NCRE) which was held for the last time in 2010.

Are you eligible to participate in the young professionals programme examination?

• Do you hold at least a first-level university degree?
• Are you 32 or younger by the end of this year?
• Do you speak either English and/or French fluently?
• Are you a national of a participating country?

The examination is held worldwide and is open to nationals of countries participating in the annual recruitment exercise - the list of participating countries is published annually and varies from year to year.

This examination is also held for staff members of the United Nations Secretariat who work within the General Service and other related categories and aspire to a career within the Professional and higher categories. For more information about staff members participating in the young professionals programme, click here.

The examination tests your substantive knowledge, analytical thinking, drafting abilities, as well as your awareness of international affairs.

Initially you will be appointed for two years and then be reviewed for a continuing appointment. The Organization promotes mobility within and across duty stations and job families. As a new recruit you are expected to work in at least two different functions and duty stations within your first five years of service. You will be offered orientation and mobility training as well as career support. This will help you adapt and accelerate the learning period leading to productive work and job satisfaction as an international civil servant.

For more information on the examination, please refer to 

https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=NCE

Commonwealth Meeting: Cameron threatens to cut aid over gay rights

Britain will consider witholding aid from countries that
do not recognise gay rights, Prime Minister David Cameron
said, after the Commonwealth leaders failed to adopt
reforms on the issue.

"Britain is now one of the premier aid givers in the world.
We want to see countries  that receive our aid adhering to
proper human rights, and that includes how people treat
gay and lesbian people," Cameron told the BBC.

He added: "British aid should have more strings attached,
in terms of do you persecute people for their faith or their
Christianity, or do you persecute people for their sexuality.
We don't think that's acceptable."

Cameron was speaking at the end of a Commonwealth leaders'
summit on Sunday, in Perth, western Australia, which failed
to adopt a recommendation to call for an end to homophobic
laws in 41 member nations.

He insisted the issue of gay rights had been discussed at the
Summit and he had personally raised it with "a number of the
African countries that I've been speaking with," although he
would not say which ones.

"We've been raising the issue consistently, we've been raising
it here at this Commonwealth heads of Government (Summit)," he
said.

However, Cameron said change would not happen overnight, saying:
"They are in a different place from us on this issue. I think
these countries are all on a journey and it's up to us to try
and help them along on that journey."

But in response to the Cameron's position, a group of social
activists involved with protecting the rights of Lesbians,
Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people on
the African continet under the aegis of the African Men for
Sexual Health (AMSHeR) have expressed their concerns about
the use of aid conditionality as an incentive for increasing
the protection of the rights of LGBTI on the continent.

In a joint statement issued by the group and signed by AMSHeR
Coordinator, Joel Gustave Nana and other members, the group
highlighted ways in which the British Government's
decision should be reviewed.

The group noted that while the intention of the British
Government may  well be to protect the rights of LGBTI
people on the continent, the decision to cut aid disregards
the role of the LGBTI and broader social justice movement
on the continent creates the real risk of a serious backlash
against LGBTI people.

They noted that a vibrant social justice movement within
African civil society is working to ensure the visibility
of - and enjoyment of rights by - LGBTI people.

This movement is made up of people from all walks of life,
both identifying and non-identifying as part of the LGBTI
community and are working together to entrench LGBTI issues
into broader civil society issues.

According to group, the imposition of donor sanctions may be
one way of seeking to improve the human rights situation
in a country but does not, in and of itself, result in the
improved protection of the rights of LGBTI people.

"Donor sanctions are by their nature coercive and reinforce
the disproportionate power dynamics between donor countries
and recipients. They are often based on assumptions about
African sexualities and the needs of African LGBTI people.

They disregard the agency of African civil society movements
and political leadership. They also tend, as has been
evidenced in Malawi,to exacerbate the environment of
intolerance in which political leadership scapegoat LGBTI
people for donor sanctions in an attempt to retain and
reinforce national state sovereignty.

Further, the sanctions sustain the divide between the LGBTI
and the broader civil society movement. In a context of general
human rights violations, where women are almost are vulnerable,
or where health and food security are not guaranteed for anyone,
singling out LGBTI issues emphasizes the idea that LGBTI
rights are special rights and hierarchically more important
than other rights.

It also supports the commonly held notion that homosexuality is
‘unAfrican’ and a western-sponsored ‘idea’ and that countries
like the UK will only act when ‘their interests’ have been
threatened."

The group noted that an effective response to the violations
of the rights of LBGTI people has to be more nuanced than the
mere imposition of donor sanctions. "The history of colonialism
and sexuality cannot be overlooked when seeking solutions to
this issue.

The colonial legacy of the British Empire in the form of laws
that criminalize same-sex sex continues to serve as the legal
foundation for the persecution of LGBTI people throughout the
Commonwealth.

In seeking solutions to the multi-faceted violations facing
LGBTI people across Africa, old approaches and ways of engaging
our continent have to be stopped. New ways of engaging that
have the protection of human rights at their core have to
recognize the importance of consulting the affected.

Furthermore, aid cuts also affect LGBTI people. Aid received
from donor countries is often used to fund education, health
and broader development. LGBTI people are part of the social
fabric, and thus part of the population that benefit from the
funding.

A cut in aid will have an impact on everyone, and more so on
the populations that are already vulnerable and whose access
to health and other services are already limited, such as LGBTI
people."

To adequately address the human rights of LGBTI people in Africa,
the social justice activists call on the British government to:

- Review its decision to cut aid to countries that do not
 protect LGBTI rights
- Expand its aid to community based and lead LGBTI programmes
 aimed at fostering dialogue and tolerance.
- Support national and regional human rights mechanisms to
 ensure the inclusiveness of LGBTI issues in their protective
 and promotional mandates
- Support the entrenchment of LGBTI issues into broader social
 justice issues through the financing of community lead and
 nationally owned projects

Over 60% of people living with HIV are living in Commonwealth
countries. In 41 of the  54 Commonwealth countries, homosexuality
is a criminal offence; people who use drugs face the death
penalty and criminal laws are applied with severe penalties
for sex work.


Sources : AFP & AMSHeR Press Release

World Bank Internship Program

Deadline: December 1 – January 31 for Summer Internship, September 1 – October 31 for Winter Internship
Open to: candidates must possess undergraduate degree and be enrolled in full-time graduate study program 
Salary: hourly salary and allowance towards travel expenses

The World Bank Internship offers highly motivated and successful individuals an opportunity to improve their skills while working in a diverse environment. Interns generally find the experience to be rewarding and interesting. The Internship Program is open to students who are nationals of the Bank’s member countries and attracts a large number of highly qualified candidates.  The purpose of the Internship is to provide graduate students with a chance to gain exposure to the work of the World Bank Group in the hopes that some will be interested in returning to the Bank for a career after completing their studies. The advantage for the Bank in offering these opportunities to students is that they get temporary assistance from students who are typically very knowledgeable in particular fields. The job descriptions for interns vary. Some interns research particular projects while others actually help design projects and occasionally they participate in Bank missions. The most common fields of study are: economics, finance, human development (public health, education, nutrition, population), social sciences (anthropology, sociology), agriculture, environment, and private sector development. The number of interns hired for a given year are approximately 150-200, depending on the needs of Bank managers and their budget circumstances.

Eligibility

Candidates must possess an undergraduate degree and already be enrolled in a full-time graduate study program (pursuing a Master’s degree or PhD with plans to return to school in a full-time capacity. Generally, successful candidates have completed their first year of graduate studies or are already into their PhD programs. This Program typically seeks candidates in the following fields: economics, finance, human development (public health, education, nutrition, population), social science (anthropology, sociology), agriculture, environment, private sector development, as well as other related fields. Fluency in English is required. Prior relevant work experience, computing skills, as well as knowledge of languages such as French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, and Chinese are advantageous.

Salary

The Bank pays an hourly salary to all Interns and, where applicable, provides an allowance towards travel expenses. Interns are responsible for their own living accommodations. Most positions are located in Washington, DC (some positions are offered in country offices) and are a minimum of four weeks in duration.

Application

The World Bank Group Internship is offered during two seasons:

• Summer (June-September) 
  The application period for the Summer is December 1 – January 31 each year.
• Winter (December-March)
  The application period for the Winter is September 1 – October 31 each year.

All applications MUST be submitted on-line (using the “Apply Now” button). Applications submitted after the deadline are not considered.

Read more: http://www.mladiinfo.com/2011/09/23/the-world-bank-internship-program/#ixzz1Z9NkFxFT

Goldman Sachs Women’s Enterprise & Leadership (WEL) Program

Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan- African University are currently working with Goldman Sachs on an initiative – 10,000 Women, in a bit to empower our Nigerian women to be successful in their various businesses. This initiative is the Goldman Sachs Enterprise & Leadership Scholarship for women only. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative provides scholarships for underserved women to attend Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management program.

We are actively seeking women who qualify for the scholarship to apply before our deadline - Friday the 23rd of September. Please find more details below.  

Goldman Sachs Women’s Enterprise & Leadership (WEL) Program

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 women Initiative in collaboration with the Pan African University is a global effort aimed at empowering 10,000 women in developing and emerging economies across the world. Every year, scholarships are being awarded to women entrepreneurs and this scholarship includes a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management (CEM) and follow up services such as business advisory, consulting clinics, networking and mentoring.

Selection Criteria:

- Company must be owned/managed by a woman

- Should be a functional business (at least 3 months in operation)

- Business must have high growth potential

- High local value added will be an advantage

Short listed applicants will receive an invitation for an interview by middle of October, 2011 which will hold in Abuja. Training will be in  Abuja. For more information please visit www.edc.edu.ng, or contact Adeola on 08191151171/ Nata – 07029201980.

Graduate Integration Programme Scholarship

Africa Women and Youth Organization (AWYO) is a non-profit organization with offices in Berlin and Abuja, with a track record of impacting 1985 people directly and over 500,000 through mass media within its first 12 months of operations in Nigeria.

The Graduate Integration Programme, a brainchild of AWYO in partnership with Abuja Enterprise Agency, is a subsidized72 hour intensive training that runs for four (4) weeks with a view to supporting its participants to start their own businesses.Participants will be groomed in the knowledge areas of entrepreneurship (through the AEA Business School), employability skills and project management.  The program is designed to take 30 participants per session.

Currently, 33% of our graduates from the last session are employed as Business Extension Workers for Abuja Enterprise Agency, 4% of the class are employed and 60% of the class are undergoing business to start their own business through the provision of SEED capital at 9% interest rate payable over a period of 2 years. TY Danjuma Foundation provided partial support for the 1^st session, however there are four outstanding slots from the session that are available for the best of applicants applying for the second session of the programme.

The participants sponsored will have access to the following:

i.                    Start-up fund of five hundred thousand naira (N500, 000) with an interest rate of 9% for an excellent business plan.

ii.                  Internship with Abuja Enterprise Agency and other corporate organizations for three months.

iii.                Classroom participatory learning approach in 3 knowledge areas: employability skills, project management and entrepreneurship.

iv.                Executive lunch break.

v.                  Training materials.

AWYO is calling for applicant interested in scholarship. You can download application on www.awyo.org or send a mail to gip@awyo.org. Scholarship application closes on the 31^st of August 2011 by 12noon.