By Oluwafunke Ishola
Twenty adolescents have completed a two-week Summer Beginner AI and ICT training organised by Action Health Incorporated (AHI).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is designed to equip young people with foundational digital skills and prepare them for emerging opportunities.
The training focused on adolescent girls and boys, exposing participants to basic computer operations, hardware and software, Python programming and introductory artificial intelligence concepts.
Participants also learnt practical applications of AI tools and demonstrated some acquired skills, including developing a simple chatbot capable of generating responses from provided data.
The Programme Manager, AHI, Oluwafunsho Bukoye, said the initiative was designed to bridge the digital divide by equipping young people with relevant 21st-century skills.
Bukoye said the organisation scheduled the training during the summer holiday to enable adolescents to acquire technology skills and explore how AI could address emerging challenges.
She said the two-week programme was only a starting point, urging participants to continue learning and explore additional opportunities to deepen their knowledge and skills.
According to her, AHI was particularly interested in empowering young people to use technology to address issues affecting their generation.
She said this was in line with the organisation’s focus on improving the health and well-being of adolescents and young people.
“We want young people to lead the change that they want,” she said.
Bukoye also urged parents to encourage their children to pursue further knowledge and build on the skills acquired during the programme.
At the graduation ceremony, participants took part in a “Show and Tell” session, where they were divided into four groups to demonstrate projects and concepts learnt.
The presentations featured demonstrations of AI tools, explanations of basic ICT concepts and practical applications of the skills acquired during the training.
The session also enabled the adolescents to demonstrate confidence, creativity, teamwork and their ability to communicate their understanding of technology.
The Executive Director of AHI, Mrs Adenike Esiet, urged participants to maintain the discipline and commitment displayed during the programme.
Esiet stressed that the two-week training should serve as a stepping stone to greater achievements, while commending parents for supporting their children.
“Digital literacy and basic AI skills are no longer optional for young people,” Esiet said.
She said the programme demonstrated that with the right opportunity and support, adolescents could rapidly build confidence and competence in technology.
One of the participants, 15-year-old Justice Ogwuegbu, said the training had given him a better understanding of technology, particularly because the facilitator simplified the lessons.
Ogwuegbu said he hoped to become a software designer and use technology to solve societal challenges.
Also, Mrs Abosede Daudu, a parent, described the training as “wonderful”, appreciating AHI and the facilitators for providing the adolescents with the opportunity.
Daudu said she was particularly pleased that her daughter participated in the programme, adding that the organisers and facilitators contributed to its success.
She commended the emphasis on punctuality and discipline throughout the programme and expressed confidence that participants would use the knowledge acquired productively.
NAN reports that the initiative forms part of AHI’s broader commitment to adolescent development and empowerment through relevant knowledge and skills.
The organisation’s programmes emphasise equipping young people to become healthy, productive and active contributors to society. (NAN)
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma