Empowering National Workforce: MINILS confers fellowship on Danbatta - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINILS) has decorated the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, with the award of Fellowship of the Nigeria Institute of Labour (NIL) under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

At the conferment ceremony in Abuja recently, which was part of the series of events marking the 40 Anniversary/Founders Day of the Institute, the Director-General of the Institute, Isa Aremu, said Danbatta was being recognised for his exemplary contributions and that of his team to the betterment of the Commission and national workforce.

Fellowship: 500 cybergirls @22 countries inducted - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!


The CyberSafe Foundation has kicked off its third annual cohort of the CyberGirls fellowship program. The program has admitted 500 female cybersecurity enthusiasts aged between 18-28 years old from 22 African countries.

The CyberGirls fellowship program is Africa's largest female-focused free cybersecurity training and mentorship program, providing fellows with world-class training and mentorship to enable them to develop the skills they need to thrive in the cybersecurity industry.

NITRA applauds Muoka, Ibietan on NIPR fellowship - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The National body of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Journalists under the aegis of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) in Lagos, has applauded the stride in attainment of Fellowship position conferred on two management staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

The Fellowship investiture to the duo of Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Reuben Muoka, and Head, Media Relations in the Public Affairs Department, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, has been described as a call to duty, as it places them on the pedestal of being reference points to anyone ascribing to PR professionalism in Nigeria.

Danbatta applauds Adedigba over NIM Fellowship - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Director of Research Development at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ismaila Adedigba, has been applauded by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, over his recent conferment of the Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), reports ITREALMS.

Adedigba, ITREALMS gathered, has for many years been a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and Fellow of the Association of West African Society for Communications and Administration (FSCA).

ALTON congratulates Pantami over fellowship - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has congratulated the Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) over his recent conferment of the fellowship o Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec), reports ITREALMS.

ALTON in a congratulatory letter sighted by 
ITREALMS and signed by the chairman of the body, Engr Gbenga Adebayo and Head of Operations, Mr. Gbolahan Awonuga, applauded the Minister on behalf of the board of trustees, executive council and entire members on his conferment.

Redeemers Men’s Fellowship Business Summit: RCCG leader explains why Christians are poor - ITREALMS

Press Release@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

As millions of Nigerians are groaning under harsh economic climate, a Professor and Pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Prof. Solomon Adekunle Bello has explained the reasons behind poverty within the Christians community and the steps to take to escape poverty.

Prof. Bello, Pastor in Charge of Lagos province 71 (LP71) who delivered the lead paper at the Business Summit of the Redemeers Men's Fellowship of the LP71, Divine Connection Zone with the theme: 'For Christians Not Be Poor, To Avoid Conflicts And Financial Crises' said, “poverty is not for any true child of God. As long as men continue to sin against God, they will continue to struggle.”

CTO opens fellowship call for 2019 - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) has opened a call for applications for the 2018 - 2019 Commonwealth Professional Fellowships, reports ITREALMS. 

The scheme supports mid-career professionals from developing member countries of the Commonwealth to spend three months with a UK host organisation, such as the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), on a professional development programme.

The CTO will host fellows who will be working on number of ICT projects and application is open until 3 December 2018.

These projects will focus on emerging ICT related areas including "Universal Service Obligation (USO) Study –During the recent Commonwealth ICT Ministers Forum in London in June 2018, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) was mandated to conduct a study to understand how or whether CTO member countries have deployed USO frameworks. In addition, the project aims to understand challenges facing many countries in terms of achieving USO goals and plans for the future. The project will draw on work done by other nations to understand trends in the field and identify examples of where the USO funds have been utilized to substantially increase broadband access.

"Digital Currencies Regulation - This projects aims to identify emerging issues and challenges relating to digital currencies regulation and propose a framework that can be adopted across Commonwealth countries, to enable use of good practice in regulating digital currencies. These considerations will include, and not limited to - exchanges, trading and mining; crowdfunding and ICOs; and emerging financial products. 

"Critical Information Infrastructure Protection - This project aims to develop a national framework that can be adopted for Critical Information Infrastructure Protection (CIIP) for the Commonwealth countries such that all stakeholders understand how to identify, assess the risk and secure their CII; understand their roles and responsibilities in executing a holistic and coordinated approach to protecting CII services from cyber disruptions; and ultimately be able to better secure their cyberspace. 

"ICT Capacity Development Programme - This project aims to restructure the Programme for Development & Training (PDT) at the CTO, in order to enable the CTO deliver improved and effective ICT training to its members. The fellow will review the current PDT programme, its procedures and processes, and liaise with CTO stakeholders, including Liaison Officers (LOs) from PDT members. The review will produce a proposed revised framework for the PDT programme. 

"Improving ICT Sector Stakeholder Engagement - Being a fast-evolving field, ICTs require strong and effective engagement amongst stakeholders. Stakeholders involved in ICT at national level, need to be constantly updated about the developments in the sector so that their impact can be properly assessed. 

"The two key strategies at the CTO include the use of membership action plan (MAP) and facilitating links between stakeholders themselves. The fellow will identify emerging issues and challenges relating to CTO membership and how to improve CTO’s membership and communications strategy and benefits to its members. 

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

*JOIN our alert's group | Share stories with us | Advert placement: WhatsApp | SMS: +2348033592762 *Twitter: @ITREALMS *Email: itrealms.dsa@gmail.com*

IFP, IIE unveil study on impact in Africa, spent $420m on fellowship in 10yrs - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

The Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration with the Ford Foundation has unveiled a report highlighting the value and impact of fellowship programmes on marginalized communities on the continent, reports ITREALMS.

The report, ITREALMS gathered was part of a 10 -year alumni tracking study of the Ford Foundation’s International Fellowships Program (IFP), the single largest program commitment in its history, in which $420 million was invested.

Entitled “Transformational Leaders and Social Change: IFP Impacts in Africa and the Middle East” ITREALMS also gathered, provides important insights into the personal, organizational, community, and societal impacts of IFP alumni in Kenya, Nigeria, Palestine, and South Africa. The report shared the perspectives of 361 IFP alumni and local stakeholders.

In Kenya, the program featured 126 fellows, 60 women and 66 men. Pursuing degrees under the umbrella of social justice. 27% took up studies in International Development, 21% Education, 9% Public Health and 8% Environmental Science. According to the report, the programme has provided IFP alumni with important experiences of fairness in the socio - economic processes they had been through. For some, the experience opened their eyes to the fact that they had all along been victims of injustices.

They however, have been able to leverage their strong individual voices into a strong, coherent collective voice, actively contributing to their communities in diverse ways, spaces and levels.

Commenting on the results of the report, Maurice Makoloo, Ford Foundation’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa, said, “This study confirms that when every person irrespective of their background is provided with as equal opportunity as the next person, they develop their talents to incredible high levels. Ultimately, the investment in these individuals empower them to make significant contributions to advance our society. In many cases, IFP Fellows were the first people in their families and local communities to obtain post-graduate degrees, and in some cases, to obtain any degree at all.”

Between 2001 and 2013, IFP opened pathways to higher education for 4,305 social justice leaders from the world’s most vulnerable populations in 22 countries in the developing world. Despite being from four different locations, the alumni share certain commonalities: past challenges stemming from discrimination and economic hardship, their dedication to social justice activism, and their commitment to IFP in their home communities.

“Our approach goes beyond the self- reported accounts of the program beneficiaries, and goes directly to the communities that have been affected,” explained Mirka Martel, IIE’s Head of Research, Evaluation and Learning. “Very few studies can present data from this perspective.”

The results of this study show a largely positive impact, with alumni saying that their IFP experience increased their confidence, awareness, self-identity, commitment, leadership, and career advancement despite challenges upon re-entry at the end of the Fellowship. Some alumni returned to face career barriers endemic to their community and home region, such as high unemployment rates and other labor market challenges.

At an organizational level, alumni and community stakeholders said that these organizations now have a stronger work ethic, consistency, transparency, and accountability since alumni returned to their home communities. Stakeholders also said that the alumni they work with are more reliable and committed to getting the job done.

Interviews and focus groups with IFP alumni and community members showed that after IFP, alumni were more active and engaged in their communities, with a large majority of alumni returning to their home to apply the skills and knowledge they learned while on fellowship to improve their communities.

Alumni returned to focus on a wide range of areas including the criminal justice system, food security, rights for those with disabilities, and education expansion. Their contributions and impact in these areas can be seen in policy, programming, and planning. Many alumni in this region are now in high-level positions that they use to influence societal change. They also use their high-level positions to strategically challenge social norms and are key to moving social justice forward in their societies.

Additionally, results showed that family support for alumni varied depending on gender and aligned with their society’s expectations of women as traditional caretakers. Due to this expectation, many alumnae faced challenges making arrangements with their families so that they could participate in IFP.

IFP’s emphasis on transparency proved to be an inspiration to alumni. They hope to replicate similar models of transparency along with IFP’s commitment to social justice in their communities.

In all four locations, the results of the fieldwork showed that higher education is key to advancing social justice forward on a community and societal level.

One of the cross -cutting themes that emerged from the research was the profound impact that the program had on female alumni and their communities. The research showed that where the higher levels of marginalization that an alumna had experienced, the more of an impact their selection and participation in IFP had on their personal lives and on changing social norms in their communities.

“I never thought I was supposed to have an education or even allow my daughter to have an education,” a Nigerian alumna said. “I just thought that maybe when she finished secondary school, she will get married and she will be in her husband's home. But my perspective had changed, today my daughter is a Ph.D. holder and she is a lecturer in the university."

For Mohammed Bulle, an alumnus from Garissa county, for example, IFP has allowed him to have a more direct impact on Kenya’s food security policies through his work at the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC).

“IFP experience was inspiring,” a Palestinian alumna said, adding, “I try my best to be fair, supportive, and professional with people as IFP was fair and supportive to me.”

Overall, the report showcases the crucial role alumni now play as models and mentors in their home communities as advocates for social justice. Results showed that this was especially true for female alumni where they were, many times, the first woman in their communities to have the opportunity to pursue their higher education goals.

Chuks Egbune/ED, Ops
ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Pix: Ford Foundation Director- Eastern Africa, Maurice Makoloo (right), goes through the publication with, Institute of International Education- Regional Director, Susan Silveus and Independent Research Consultant- Kenyatta University School of Economics, Dr. Emmanuel Manyasa. This was during the publication launch by Ford Foundation at Serena Hotel.

Paradigm Initiative selects journalists for media fellowship - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Two journalists and Emmanuel Agbenonwossi and  Victor Ekwealor, have been selected as the pioneer fellows of Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellowship 2018, reports ITRealms.

The media fellowship, ITRealms gathered, is a project of Paradigm Initiative, a social enterprise dedicated to the promotion of digital rights and inclusion in Africa.

ITRealms also gathered that the fellowship attracted 116 applications from 19 countries.

According to a press statement by Paradigm Initiative, a social enterprise working on digital rights and inclusion in Africa, endorsed by the Communications Officer, Paradigm Initiative, Communications Officer, Sodiq Alabi, said, they were pleased to announce the selection of two brilliant journalists for the inaugural edition. 

"We are excited about the quality of applications the fellowship attracted in its first year," he said.

The fellowship is a five-month programme designed to immerse selected journalists in digital rights advocacy and digital inclusion intervention efforts in Africa.

"Fellows will work with Paradigm Initiative on various projects and contribute to improving media interest in relevant issues,” he said.

"Emmanuel Agbenonwossi  is a Togolese journalist and the managing editor of AfroTribune. Agbenonwossi works to advance professional journalism and digital freedom with media and Internet rights defenders globally.

"Emmanuel has contributed to policy research in Togo, Ghana, Cote-d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and other African countries.

"He is a fellow of UNESCO, ICANN, AfriSIG and the IGF Academy. Emmanuel Agbenonwossi is an alumnus of the University of Greenwich (UK), the Central University of Tunisia and the University of Malta.

"He holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism, a post-graduate diploma in Cyber-Security, Leadership and Business Information Technology.

"Victor Ekwealor is a Nigerian writer, storyteller and award-winning multimedia journalist.

"Victor works as Editor at TechPoint. His flair for storytelling stems from the desire to highlight untold African stories from the highest journalistic standards with modern technological tools.

"Victor believes Africans would either tell more African stories or watch the world do it for them.

"He is interested in, and mostly covers, the interaction of human beings and technology. He is also interested in technology, startups, innovations, policies, digital inclusion and digital rights.

"The fellowship will commence in September 2018, with a two-week residency at Paradigm Initiative’s Nigerian offices, in Aba, Abuja Ajegunle, Kano and Yaba, and run until January 2019.

"Fellows will also get the chance to connect with Paradigm Initiative team members in Yaounde and Nairobi."

Nenye Dom/ED. Ops

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

ICANN64 fellowship opens - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened the application round for interested community members for the ICANN64 Public Meeting through the Fellowship Programme, reports ITRealms.

ICANN64, ITRealms gathered, will take place from 9-14 March 2019 in Kobe, Japan, just as the deadline to apply is 3 September 2018, 23:59 UTC; whereas the successful candidates will be announced on 12 November 2018 on https://icann.org/.

The Fellowship Program is open to all applicants interested in, or already engaged in, the various aspects of ICANN's work in policymaking, the operation of the Domain Name System, and the security and stability of the global Internet. The goal of the program is to help create a more diverse and a broader base of knowledgeable constituents who can engage in the ICANN multistakeholder process and become the new voices of experience in their regions and on the global stage.

Since its creation in 2007, the Fellowship Program has built a strong group of fellows who are actively participating in ICANN communities and in other Internet governance entities in the Internet ecosystem.

ITRealms also gathered that participation covers a range of activities including ability fo write articles and blogs, give online or in-person public comments about bottom-up policymaking, participate in Internet conferences and panel discussions, join working groups, mentoring newcomers, assisting regional leaders, becoming leaders themselves.

ICANN’s mission, ITRealms recalled, is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.

Chuks Egbune/ED, Ops

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

ICANN56: Nigeria missing in fellowship

ITRealms:

Twenty-five Alumni with previous Fellowship and ICANN Community experience have been selected to participate in ICANN's Policy Forum at the 56th Public Meeting in Helsinki, 27-30 June 2016, with Nigerians missing, reports ITRealms.

These individuals, ITRealms reports, represent all sectors of society including civil, government, academia, business, technical, security, end user groups and country code supporting groups.

ITRealms gathered that fellows were members of the Government Advisory Committee (GAC), country code Name Supporting Organisation (ccNSO), generic Name Supporting Organisation (gNSO), Constituencies and Stakeholder Groups and At Large.

For the ICANN56 Meeting, ITRealms also reports that estimated 54 Fellowship Alumni applications were received through the online process and assessed by an independent selection committee.

The successful candidates, ITRealms further gathered were selected based on references from current Community leaders, Global Stakeholder Engagement and Policy policy members who have witnessed their commitment and engagement in the Internet ecosystem, their region and/or the ICANN community through one of its Multistakeholder model groups.

+ITRealms DSA 

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Pix: Goran Marby, new ICANN CEO

ICANN 53 fellowship now opens

ITRealms:

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers' (ICANN) Fellowship programme has commenced seeking of participants’ application for the ICANN 53 to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, reports ITRealms.

Potential applicants from developing countries, ITRealms reports, working for the stability and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier system were encouraged to apply.

ITRealms also gathered that the goals of the fellowship programme are to help broaden the base of knowledgeable constituents engaged in ICANN's Multistakeholder process and to encourage the participation of new voices from around the world.

In addition, ITRealms reports that ICANN's current application round seeks prospective candidates for the June 2015 ICANN Meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

The application process, ITRealms learnt, closes on 16 January 2015, with successful candidates announced on the ICANN website on 6 March 2015.

ICANN further advised according to ITRealms to apply for the Fellowship Programme here.

ITRealms recalls that since its creation in 2007, the Fellowship Program has built a strong database of individuals who are active participants within ICANN communities, as well as within various Internet governance organizations. 

Their engagement ITRealms findings showed would include writing articles and blogs, providing online or in-person public comments about bottom-up policy development, engaging in Internet conferences and discussions, mentoring newcomers and assisting ICANN's regional leaders.

ITRealms equally gathered these activities lead to Fellows becoming leaders themselves, who are committed to preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet.

 

ITREALMS ... delivering news for ICT4D

ICANN opens call for 49 fellowship

ITRealms: 

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)  has announced the opening of the fellowship programme for the Singapore public meeting, tagged ICANN 49.

ITRealms gathered that the fellowship programme has demonstrated success in its mission to build capacity in the ICANN multistakeholder environment through focused interactive engagement between newcomers to ICANN and community members at each of the ICANN meetings.

The programme also seeks to identify members of the Internet community who either have not previously been able to participate in ICANN processes or constituent organizations, or those who require further exposure to the Internet community and its work but cannot travel and attend a meeting without financial support.
This outreach programme seeks participants from developing regions and countries of the world, in order to help create a broader base of knowledgeable constituents who will become the new voice of experience in their regions and beyond.

Equally, ITRealms gathered that applications to become an ICANN Fellow are assessed for each meeting by an independent selection committee.

Priority, however, is given to applicants who: meet minimum programme requirements; are current residents of developing and least developed nations; and are interested in participating in the ICANN multistakeholder process and its supporting organizations, advisory committees or stakeholder groups.

Also efforts will be made to include participants from the region in which the ICANN meeting is being held.
ITRealms
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D