Listening Discussion and Action Group (LDAG) Meetings

15 families consisting of 5 members each have been selected to participate in the 16 Listening Discussion and Action Group (LDAG) meetings. The 75 individuals were selected from within the Kano metropolitan area. All families selected were middle to low income families, had not more than 2 wives and had at least 2 female household members. Other criteria were that members of the family had at least secondary school certificates, moderate religious views, and that the children who were participating were not less than 13 years. The families were also selected based on their access to at least one device that connects to the internet or access to a community internet café that was safe and welcoming to women and girls. The 75 individuals will be split up into 3 sub-groups each made up of 5 families. Whilst we want to try and engage the families as a unit, groups may be split into sex segregated sub groups for some sessions / activities based on the content of the discussions and dynamics in the room.

The LDAGs will meet twice a month, for eight months and over the course of the 8 month period, the families are expected to listen to and discuss radio content addressing the gender digital divide, complemented by facilitated activities designed to break down myths, challenge oppressive norms, promote access to technology, build skills, and destigmatize and normalize women and girls’ use of digital technology. 3 out of the 14 LDAG meetings have already been conducted where participants listened to the radio content, engaged in discussion with regards to radio content, engaged in group exercises and take home exercises. The facilitated exercises will focus on unpacking beliefs and attitudes and increasing knowledge and openness to technology via didactic group work.

Towards the end of the eighth month period, LDAG members will partake in 2 digital literacy workshops which will aim at providing hard skill building opportunities in a safe environment to further normalize the benefits of women and girls’ use of technology and dispel fears held by fathers and husbands in a safe environment. In addition to primary skill building, the workshops will include digital exercises on key issues families have identified as central to them, which may include nutrition and family health, mobile banking and financial literacy, social media engagement, and information about jobs in STEM. Increasing actual digital literacy skills along with shifting beliefs and attitudes will enable sustained access and use within the select families.

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