Serving With Love (SWL) Foundation, a non-Governmental Organisation, has unveiled a Digital Life After School Programme (DLASP) centre to bridge the digital divide and provide essential technology education to underprivileged youths in Lagos.
The Chairman of the Executive Council of SWL, Molade Adeniyi, at the inauguration on Sunday said the centre sited at Somolu Local Government Area would cater for children residing in the area and its surrounding environs.
According to a report by a UNICEF education specialist, only seven per cent of Nigerian youths possess the ICT skills necessary for working and living in a digital economy.
Adeniyi stressed the importance of raising awareness around the existing digital divide and enlisting support from government bodies and individuals.
“Through DLASP, we are transforming individual lives and hoping that the digital divide is a thing of the past.
“Currently, we are funded by donations from members that come in monthly. But when we think about growth and scale, those donations and contributions cannot get us to where we want to be.
“So, as we go into a new year, we are intentional about sharing our impact and reaching more people, who can contribute to the work being done,” she said.
Adeniyi noted that DLASP launched in May 2018, had impacted over 300 children who had benefited from the education programme.
“The initiative has also contributed to fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on quality education.
“In addition, SWL has cared for over 2,000 individuals through various feeding initiatives, fulfilling the SDG on Zero Hunger, and provided health and well-being support to over 300 women and children under the SDG for good health and well-being,” she said.
Also, Foluso Gbadamosi, Trustee of SWL and Executive Director, Junior Achievement, said, “our focus is to get young people trained digitally, so they can have the skills to create a better future for themselves.
“It is also to equip them to solve the problems in their environment,” Gbadamosi said.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria
