25 Hearing-Impaired Persons Empowered With Digital Skills in Akwa Ibom
Uko Okon, Uyo
Hands-on-Data in collaboration with Deaf-in-Tech has empowered now fewer than 25 hearing-impaired individuals in Akwa Ibom with digital skills.
The NGOs stressed that the initiative aims to bridge the gap in digital literacy and provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to thrive in the digital economy.
Speaking during the training flag-off in Uyo on Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer of Hands-on-Data, Mr Aniekan Ani-Ezekiel, said the move became necessary to promote digital inclusion and independence for deaf people.
He said the free training focusing on data analytics, particularly for the deaf community in the state, will last for two weeks.
“This is the first time ever this tech training for the deaf community happens in South-South and fourth in the entire Nigeria.
“We are looking for young talented individuals preferably from the deaf community who are hoping to improve their skills, life and welfare and give their unique viewpoint to the world.
“We are not just coming to train them but to also place them on jobs so, we are looking for employers both in Akwa Ibom and beyond.”
Dr Ayoola Arowolo, the Founder of Deaf-in-Tech, expressed delight at the free training being offered to the deaf community in Akwa Ibom.
Arowolo stressed that, after working with the deaf community for the past four years, he can confirm that they (the deaf) remain the best in tech because they have a very strong visual sense and can not be distracted while working.
“In the last few years that we have been working with deaf community, we have seen that they are exceptional when it comes to tech because they compensate for the lack of hearing with a very strong visual sense.
“During the 2023 presidential elections, the Deaf-in-Tech built the dashboard that was used for the election monitoring and it came out a very strong visual.
He lamented that the deaf have been greatly marginalised due to their disability, which often hides them even among persons with disabilities, calling on the government and other organisations to break such barriers and employ the deaf in their establishments for greeter performance.
