4-week Coding Training Project for young girls, organized by Rotary Club PH Seaport ends in Port Harcourt…
… Laptops, WIFIs gifted to beneficiaries
By Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie
Port Harcourt, June 1st- Certificates have been presented to ten young girls, from various communities in Rivers State who participated in the Girls Coding Training Project, with a call on the youths to be more engaged in digital training for the job market.
With excitement and joy, the graduating students who from May 6, 2024, underwent the four-week course, displayed their certificates as they took group pictures with leaders from Rotary International District 9141, and members of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Seaport, who initiated the training, supported by grant from the District 9141.
The project has equipped the ten university graduates and undergraduates girls from 20 to 25 years, from low-income backgrounds with digital skills in Computer Basics, Microsoft Word & PowerPoint, G-Suite, HTML+CSS and Content Creation with Canva, as well as soft skills like positive self-concept.
“We are assembled here at this event to draw down the curtain on a project which has been significant for our Club and impactful for the beneficiaries,” Jenewari Eleki, who represented Victoria Ockiya-Jackson, the President of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Seaport, said.
He added: “Now is time to close this phase of this project and as we see it transition into its next phase; there is no denying that it has been successful and met its objective of empowering the girl-child.
“Well done and congratulations to our District 9141 and others who contributed in any way to this project.”
On his part, the Club Chair for District grant, Boma Talbot explained that the project is positioned as a basic literacy project and also economic empowerment with a focus on job creation.
The tenacity of the project team paid off and the project was approved paving the way for the launch and successful end,” Boma said.
Recalling the words of former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon that “equality for women and girls is not only a basic human right but a social and economic imperative. Where women are educated and empowered, economies are more productive and stronger. Where women are fully represented, societies are more powerful.
Rtn Boma said empowering the girl-child inspired the birth of the project. He urged the graduates to brace themselves up with the skills acquired for the job market.
“With employment being a pivotal pathway out of poverty for families, the project ensured the young women were not left behind in the job market, especially in the ICT sector,” he said.
Rtn Nkriu Enyia PHF, District 9141 Secretary-Elect, who represented the District Governor-Elect Chinedu Ikegwuani, said, “Coding is the new language everybody must learn.”
She urged the graduates to make an impact with the skills they had learnt in their communities, while commending the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Seaport for diligently executing the project and impacting on the lives of the ten young girls who will in turn impact other young girls in their various communities.
Blessing Yongosi Eugenia Oforibika, both graduates, expressed their appreciation to the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Seaport, the District 9141 and called on the youth, yet to be coding literate, to access such courses.
“From a Skill-less graduate to coding expert, Miss Ruth Joy added that she knew nothing about coding, but had been equipped by the course to create websites and design logos.
Miss Perfect Matthew said: “The course has been insightful.”
