Report of the Monthly SI4DEV Port Harcourt May Meeting

Meeting Agenda

1. Opening prayer
2. Introduction
3. Review of training on computer appreciation for orphans by our partner
4. Activities planning for the month of June
5. Opportunities

The meeting was head on May 20, 2018 at Pepperoni fast food, Rumuodara junction, Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

Mr. Austin Otuji led the opening prayer followed introduction of members present.

• Austin Otuji was the first to introduce himself; he is the leader of the Port Harcourt Unit of SI4DEV, he is married, currently into business and a native of Cross Rivers State.
• Francis Eghehan was next; He is the secretary, a quality analyst with vast experience as a quality management professional, a member of Yali, a participant of the Yali RLC West Africa cohort 10.
• Jonathan Onojedje who was invited by Mr. Francis was next; Jonathan is a certified and practicing laboratory analyst, he is single, and a native of Delta State.
• Ekene Achu was next; he is the initiator of the visible charity global foundation, and the CEO of vanguard plus, a business consultancy firm. He is also an environmental activist.
• Joy Jabz; she is an educationist and gospel music minister

3. SI4DEV Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative, Port Harcourt location group is partnering with visible charity global foundation in training a group of orphans in an orphanage home who happen to approach the initiator Mr. Ekene for assistance in computer appreciation.

Findings: 90% of children in orphanages in Obiakpor LGA lack adequate knowledge in computer appreciation, and may find it difficult to get computer skills during adulthood unless something is done to reverse this trend.

Coverage: Although the number of children in the orphanage is 21, due to age considerations, the number of trainees is 9.

Impact of training: So far on the training, the pupils now know what a computer means, are able to identify various components of a computer, can identify the types of computers, Know the types of operating systems, can describe the uses of computers,  and the functions of certain buttons on a computer.

Funding: Goodwill donations from friends and partners

4. Activities for the month of June:

(a) Road walk awareness campaign on the dangers of drug abuse.- the house decided that Mr. Ekene should meet with the president of Rukpokwu youth association to seek their support and mobilize the youths to participate in the awareness/advocacy walk. Also to get in contact with the National youth service corps members in the LGA whose CDS is focus on awareness on the dangers of drug abuse to be part of the road walk. To also write a letter to the pharmaceutical association, Port Harcourt branch, to seek their support.

The date of the road walk will be agreed upon by key stakeholders and communicated to all involved.

(b) To visit Oginigba community secondary school, Oginigba in Obiakpor local Government area, Rivers state, and conduct a needs assessment of their facility in order to explore ways of bridging the gap.

5. Opportunities

• To immediately begin to plan towards WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) for schools in Obiakpor LGA.
• To contact a new member being introduce by one of us and get her fully integrated to our location group activities.
• To explore possibilities of establishing clubs that is focused on “drug free schools” in secondary schools within Obiakpor LGA.

The meeting came to a close at 18:14hr