The United Nations Population Fund Ghana (UNFPA Ghana) has organised a workshop on digital marketing for the members of the Youth Leaders Fellowship Programme of the agency.
The workshop was held in light of the celebration of this year’s International Womens’ Day on the theme ‘DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality’.
The workshop which was dubbed, “SHECAN” was held at the Orange Loft on the UNFPA Ghana premises on Wednesday April 6, 2023 and saw UNFPA Deputy Country Representative, Dr. Emmily Naphambo and Representative from UNWOMEN, the Swiss Ambassador and paramount Queenmother of the Akrofu Traditional area, HRH Mamaga Akua Sabea Nyavour VII in attendance.
A spotlight was thrown on the Asigame Project which was being championed by Mamaga Akua Sabea Nyavour VII.
The Asigame Market place is an online food and essential market place that was created to connect both sellers and buyers of food items and other home and office essential needs. The market was established to also create a platform for all small scale businesses as well as grounded businesses to get to their target audience.
Speaking to the media, Mamaga Akua Sabea Nyavour VII urged the youth, especially young girls to take advantage of social media and digital platforms to sell and create opportunities for themselves.
“Social media is out there for everybody. You would make or unmake yourself on social media. The time you use to post unnecessary things, you can use that time to even sell stuff. I started Mamaga Veggies with one red pepper, one yellow pepper that was ten cedis back then, and then carrot 20 cedis, green pepper five cedis, that is how Mamaga Veggies started. It started with less than 50 Ghana cedis and now we sell and we supply to big malls now. So the time that you use to think you would grow to marry and become somebody’s burden, use the time to profit yourself. That space on social media, that Facebook, that Instagram page you have, use it to bring benefits to yourself, you can sell there. You can be an ambassador”she said.
The migration of trading activities online during the COVID-19 pandemic was dominant in almost every sector. So was the increase in online fraudulent activities as well.
Programme Specialist, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender Team Lead at the UNFPA Ghana. Dr. Doris Aglobitse, urged the fellows at the workshop to learn from the progress, pitfalls and prospects of the Asigame project in order to overcome some of the challenges on managing businesses online.
“So yes, COVID came but it also taught us lessons, and we need to share some of these lessons, so that on daily basis they can see how we can improve them. She has shared her story of how initially people were scamming her. It pushed her to the wall. How do I stop the scamming? And she shared her experience. Until you hear these experiences, wouldn’t you want to improve? So I am sure that for those who are also ready to learn, to make an impact, they will pick lessons and also improve on whatever she has done. We have to be intentional about some of these things to enable us bridge that gap,”she said.
Dr. Doris Aglobitse called on the media to be intentional about reporting on issues of innovation and technology.
According to her, the media plays a very important role in out-dooring innovative projects to enable them reach the right audience.
“Whether it will end here or not now depends a lot on the media. So you would have to do a lot of even the follow ups. Because there were a lot of questions here. So why this? Why that? So I think that we also have to start thinking of how to help and be very intentional about some of these things, to create the awareness, not just creating that awareness, but also getting people informed. Because for example, when we talk to people, we’re asking question. If you the media, you are not able to project what she’s doing; for all you know, there is someone also who has developed some technology somewhere, some machines somewhere that could help to process these things and keep them, but how do we bring these two things together? That’s where the role of the media is very important,” she added.
She further encouraged young people to be bold in overcoming the challenges they face in the pursuit of their goals.
“For every young lady, I’m saying you can, she can. For every young man, you can, he can. Whatever you put your eyes on, whatever you go to put out there, definitely, challenges would come, challenges are meant to be overcome. Once you are determined and dedicated, you will definitely make it. So the challenges shouldn’t deter you from reaching your goal. For young people, not at all,” she said.
Mamaga Akua Sabea Nyavour VII finally expressed her gratitude to UNFPA Ghana for giving her the platform to promote the Asigame Project and mentor the youth on digital marketing.
“I want to say a very big thank you. Sincerely, this is a surprise to me. I have worked with UNFPA for some time now but it has always been with other institutions. But for me to have this personal space with them. It means a lot to me and I want to say a big thank you to them for this opportunity. Thank them for for promoting and projecting Asigame to the world. I know we are already out there but with this, I know we are going to reach a higher, wider people. So I want to say a very big thank you to everybody,” she said.
More photos below
–
Story by: Kelly Adjetey Boye | univers.ug.edu.gh
