Politeracy project is an initiative of a consortium of Integriti Technologies and Yes We Can Youth Leadership Initiative. The project is aimed at promoting political literacy and participation among rural youths by equipping them with digital skills.

In order to sustain the spirit and passion that gave rise to #EndSARS, this project seeks to conduct trainings on digital Skills and political education for youths in rural and semi-urban communities in Enugu State. It is noteworthy to state that there is a big voting population of rural youths during elections but these youths have shown low political enlightenment, socio-political engagement and activism due to their lack of proper digital skills and adequate knowledge of the use and power of the internet and social media tools. Continuous sensitization and engagement in civic action will also be done via social media.

During these training, participants will learn and take action on:

• Communication: Setting up an email account and online video chat profile

• Social media: Setting up accounts and proper use of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to keep up-to-date with friends, families, and the latest news.

• Understanding how to find information online

• Appropriate use of personal devices and apps.

• Determining the validity of sources to reduce the spread and consumption of false information

• Online safety and protecting privacy.

• Video creation and editing.

• How to monitor/keep up-to-date with government projects and activities via various channels

• Political awareness and enlightenment

• This project will help engender in youths in these select communities the passion to demand for good governance and give them the confidence, knowledge and tools to amplify their voices.

The youths in the rural and semi urban areas in Enugu State face numerous challenges in raising their voices about the myriads of issues affecting them. For instance, in October 2020, some youths in the urban areas/cities embarked on a protest tagged, “END SARS, END POLICE BRUTALITY.” This protest was held across the major cities in the 36 states of Nigeria. However, the youths in the rural and semi-urban areas poorly participated in the protest. This was because they were bereft of digital skills and gadgets necessary for the carrying out such a protest. This ultimately affected their participation and engagement in democratic processes. In the face of these challenges “Yes We Can Youth Initiative” in consortium with “Integriti Technologies” launched a project called “Politeracy” which was geared towards training this category of youths on the use of digital skills for socio-political engagement. The politeracy project which was sponsored by the government of Netherlands through an initiative called Voice transformed the lives of 200 youths from rural and semi urban areas in Enugu State.  

The journey was enthralling but not without challenges. The project began with advocacy visits to gatekeepers in each of the ten target communities, securing their support and buy-in. Following this, liaison officers were appointed within each community to act as intermediaries and ensure smooth communication between the project team and the communities. The core of the implementation involved an intensive training program focused on political education and digital skills. Over a series of sessions, 20 selected youths from each community were trained in using digital tools to engage in socio-political activities, including monitoring governance and holding leaders accountable. The training was designed to be practical, interactive, and community-focused, ensuring that participants could immediately apply their new skills within their local contexts. The Politeracy project significantly impacted the youths and the communities involved. The trained youths emerged as digital champions, equipped with the knowledge and skills to influence socio-political change. Through their engagement, these youths began to actively monitor local governance, bringing greater transparency and accountability to their communities. Their ability to use digital tools for socio-political purposes led to increased awareness of civic responsibilities among community members. Furthermore, the project fostered a culture of active participation, where youths who were previously disengaged from political processes became vocal and proactive in addressing community issues. The transformation extended beyond individual participants, as the project inspired broader community involvement and sparked a shift towards more informed and empowered local governance. 

The first of the many challenges encountered in the course of implementing the project was accessing and convincing the gate keepers of the genuineness of the project. This was difficult because of their previous encounter with implementers of similar projects that never saw the light of the day. Secondary, the days of training sometimes clashed with burial ceremonies and other community services which altered our schedules on many occasions. 

The success of this project in Enugu State underscores the importance of mentorship, capacity building and empowering the youths, offering valuable insights for future projects aimed at enhancing civic participation and digital literacy. 

However, this milestone will be short lived without support. Hence, Yes We Can Youth Initiative invites you to join in this movement-promoting political education through digital skills. Together we can ensure that large number of rural and semi urban youths are equipped with digital skills and that their voices are heard. 

For more information, contact us on yeswecanyouthinitiative@gmail.com