AIDS foundation empowers young Nigerians with data visualization skills

A non-governmental organization, AIDS HealthCare Foundation, AHF, under it’s ‘Girls Act Initiative’ held a data visualization training for young women so as to empower them with life skills and strategic advocacy tools. The organisation Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Steve Aborisade, in a statement said that  14 young women and girls, including two boys were beneficiaries […]

A non-governmental organization, AIDS HealthCare Foundation, AHF, under it’s ‘Girls Act Initiative’ held a data visualization training for young women so as to empower them with life skills and strategic advocacy tools.

The organisation Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Steve Aborisade, in a statement said that  14 young women and girls, including two boys were beneficiaries of the training.

According to him, “The data visualisation training will empower them with skills, to enable them take advantage of the new opportunities that IT offers for self-sustenance but, importantly to equip this group with the know-how to strategically advocate for the issues paramount to them and draw the right attention while attracting the needed solutions to them”.

Abosrisade added that “We hope to see young people who are able to use the knowledge of data analysis and interpretation to bring solutions on issues that affect them, as well as challenges that they encounter in having a say about negotiating safe sex, sexual and reproductive health services and other life choice”.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facilitator, Bamishe Aregbeshola, said the training was aimed at how participants can acquire the prerequisite knowledge on how to use info-graphics to communicate the ideas that they have to their peers and community.

He said “The way the brain maps information, is that the mind picks pictures faster however with text the mind has to translate the text into pictures first, so it takes a longer time for the mind to interpret such kind of information”.

Anita Ikwe, a participant said the training would enable her find new ways of identifying problems in the society and to find better ways of disseminating information through graphics.

Also speaking, Uhoma chizom, a participant said the training would be of great impact as it would help him speak up for people in his community, and to become the voice of Africa and Nigeria, NAN reports.

‘Girls Act Initiative’ is one of the two components of  `STYLE UP’ a programme targeted at educating and empowering young people. The other component is ‘Boys 2 Men’.