June 2020 sees the return of iMMAP’s Capacity Building activities in Nigeria with Round 13 of information management training conducted from the 8th to the 12th of June 2020. Themed ‘Harnessing the power of data for evidence-based decision making’, this training round was attended by 12 participants consisting of ten graduates of the University of Maiduguri and two staff of the Borno State Agency for Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Response.
The purpose of the program is to strengthen capacities to optimize information management tools, platforms, technologies, and best practices for a more effective humanitarian response to the northeast Nigeria crisis and in alignment with humanitarian principles. With support from the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID OFDA), iMMAP started the information management training and capacity building program in Nigeria in January 2018, working closely with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to identify priority capacity building needs, identify participants, and implement the program.
The purpose of the program is to strengthen capacities to optimize information management tools, platforms, technologies, and best practices for a more effective humanitarian response to the northeast Nigeria crisis and in alignment with humanitarian principles. With support from the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID OFDA), iMMAP started the information management training and capacity building program in Nigeria in January 2018, working closely with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to identify priority capacity building needs, identify participants, and implement the program.
Round 13 Statistical Infographic
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and the resultant restrictions imposed by the Nigerian Government in February 2020 has meant that Capacity Building activities have had to be postponed since March 2020. Although many restrictions have now been lifted, it remains pertinent to observe COVID-19 safety measures such as a one-meter social distancing rule and the use of face masks and hand washing/hand sanitizing products.
With these measures in place, participants were given the option of attending the program in-person at the University of Maiduguri ICT lab or online. One participant opted to attend sessions remotely whilst the other 11 participants attended the program in person with strict adherence to COVID-19 safety measures. Only two instructors were physically present in the University, with four other instructors and five observers joining sessions remotely.
The session on Concepts of Data Visualization was delivered remotely by the iMMAP Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional office team in Amman, Jordan. iMMAP''''s capacity to deliver training remotely is a unique advantage as participants get the opportunity to benefit from our expertise and wealth of knowledge across different country offices.
With these measures in place, participants were given the option of attending the program in-person at the University of Maiduguri ICT lab or online. One participant opted to attend sessions remotely whilst the other 11 participants attended the program in person with strict adherence to COVID-19 safety measures. Only two instructors were physically present in the University, with four other instructors and five observers joining sessions remotely.
The session on Concepts of Data Visualization was delivered remotely by the iMMAP Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional office team in Amman, Jordan. iMMAP''''s capacity to deliver training remotely is a unique advantage as participants get the opportunity to benefit from our expertise and wealth of knowledge across different country offices.
Mohamed Belo, iMMAP MENA capacity building team lead, delivering one of the sessions remotely
iMMAP Nigeria is also excited to continue the internship program for the University of Maiduguri graduates by welcoming two Round 13 participants to join the iMMAP Nigeria team as interns. This program, which is in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between iMMAP and the University, aims to give interns practical work experience in the information management field and prepares them to contribute to the humanitarian response workforce in a professional manner. We are thrilled that all four of the first batch of interns from Rounds 11 and 12 have all found employment either with iMMAP or within the humanitarian community. Training and employing young graduates directly supports the objective to increase local representation in the humanitarian response to bring recovery and normalcy to the region.