Networking for Success is a project of the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), which will teach women how to use Web 2.0 tools and other ICTs to effectively develop and advance their work. Participants will learn how to use these tools to initiate and manage projects; as well as identify networking opportunities with other organisations. This project builds upon the work of the Blogs for African Women (BAWo) initiative; an earlier project aimed at introducing blogging to young Nigerian girls.
Objectives:
Through the project, participants will:
1. Develop skills in the use and management of Web 2.0 tools (blogs, wikis, podcasts) and other technologies in order to build capacity and efficiency into their organisation’s work
2. Learn how to work collaboratively with colleagues within and outside of their organisations using ICTs
3. Learn how to identify and assess the appropriateness of various ICTs to different tasks
The NFS project will comprise of 2 parts:
1. 3 month-long courses on the applications of social media (aka web 2.0) tools to social development
2. 12-week online discussion on the aspects of the above subject. The discussions will take place on the project blog and each week will be led by at least one mentor.
Project Background
Networking for Success has been funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). This grant was administered as part of the Harambee project.
The goal of the Harambee project is to build on existing research and experiences in designing and implementing collaborative processes and technologies. Harambee is a Swahili word for “Let’s work together”. It is intended to signify the uniting of a community around a common goal.
This project is intended to support the development of capacity among African networks and communities to make collaboration efforts more effective through both process- and technology-related solutions and in doing so, reinforcing African voices in the creation and implementation of their own development agendas.
About W.TEC
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a Nigerian non-governmental organization working to encourage Nigerian girls and women to learn how to use information and communication technology (ICT) as a means of empowering themselves socially and economically.
Read more about W.TEC.
Project Staff
Oreoluwa Somolu - Executive Director
Oreoluwa Somolu is Executive Director of the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC). Prior to this, she was Project Manager of Youth Empowerment & Restoration Initiative, an organisation working to increase local content in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry by raising awareness of Oil and Gas careers among students.
Oreoluwa worked for several years in the United States at an educational non-for-profit organisation on a number of projects, which explored the interplay between gender and technology and which sought to attract more girls and women to study and work in science and technology-related fields.
She has a Bachelors degree in Economics from Essex University, U.K. and a Masters degree in Analysis, Design and Management of Information Systems from the London School of Economics & Political Science. Her interests are the applications of technology in improving lifelong learning and also to raise the economic and social conditions of people (especially women and children) in the developing world.
Link: http://www.w-teconline.org/blog
Oluwatoyin Ajao-Dawodu - Project Coordinator
Oluwatoyin Ajao-Dawodu is a dynamic, proactive individual interested and working towards gender equality and equity through girls/women development in all areas of their daily lives. A passionate womanist, feminist and gender activist. Oluwatoyin has a life long connection with development work which she has since focused on for more than 5 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo Ile-Ife and a diploma in desktop publishing from Iju Computer School. She opted to be a development worker after school instead of going fully into accounting profession. She is currently working towards a master’s degree in gender development and human rights law.
Link: http://genderandme.blogspot.com
Amaka Ifejianyi - Project Volunteer
Amaka Ifejianyi is a graduate of computer science, with a strong interest in the relationship between communication and technology.
