On May 26, 2024, the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) Nigeria organized a Digital Advocacy Training for young people at St. Gabriel Chaplaincy of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria in Durumi, Abuja. 

The training gathered 10 young individuals passionate about using digital tools to advocate for social justice. The primary aim of the training was to educate, teach, and inspire participants on the importance of becoming advocates for change in their environment. They learned how to use various digital and social media platforms to amplify their voices in the fight against child early and forced marriage and domestic servitude. This training also served as an avenue to build a group of young digital activists for AFJN Nigeria. 

During the training, participants were educated on the mission and vision of AFJN Nigeria, as well as its focus campaigns and projects. They were also informed about the importance of young people being at the forefront of the fight against early and child marriage and domestic servitude. 

The training was facilitated by Bonny Oboh, Development Coordinator for AFJN Nigeria. In his presentation, Bonny taught participants how to prepare their digital messages to reach a wider audience. He also educated them on the differences between direct actions and digital actions, the tasks of digital activists, understanding the theory of change, and how to tailor their digital messages accordingly. Additionally, Bonny instructed participants on how to create visually appealing digital messages and effectively use hashtags. As an important part of effective activism, they were taught how to tell a story about their actions through the use of photos and social media posts. 

The training included educative and interactive discussions, where participants shared their own experiences, asked questions, and learned from each other. 
At the end of the training, it was collectively agreed that a WhatsApp platform would be created for continual engagement, learning, and sharing of information regarding digital actions.

Report by: Bonny Oboh Development Coordinator AFJN Nigeria