CSOs in Liberia Equipped to Operate Safely Online

 A training on digital safety and security was held in Thinker Village-Monrovia, Liberia for 12 participants from 4 organisations. The training was organised by the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and TechSoup. The aim of the training was to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves and their organisations from online attacks. 

Participants were from Youth Alliance for Rural Development (YARD), Institute for Democratic Action and Development, Africa Youth Peer Review Committee (AYPRC) and Youth United for Community Development Association (YUCDA).    

Hellen Sackie, focal person for the African Youth Peer Review Committee (AYPRC), one of the participants, shared her thoughts on the training. 

“I have been a victim of a lot of fraud attacks online, especially on Facebook, so this training from WACSI has really helped us understand the risks and threats we face every time we are online, and now it has taught us how we can protect ourselves from hackers and keep our personal information safe. I am happy to share this knowledge with my community and myself”, she said. 

Amb. Dennis Kroma, the Project Director of YARD-Liberia explained why this training is for civil society organisations (CSOs) in Liberia. 

“The training is very good for us now because here in Liberia, a lot of us don’t know about all the dangers online, and we are at risk. I am happy to be part of this training. I am learning a lot that I can use [the knowledge] to protect myself and my organisation from online attacks.” 

Participants were so motivated by the skills and knowledge they received from the training. This inspired them to form a coalition for the digital safety and security of Liberia. The coalition will work collaboratively to educate Liberians on digital safety and security. 

According to the participants, the most engaging part of the training was the session on fake news online. The session focused on disinformation, misinformation, and mal-information. This was particularly important because Liberia is currently in an election period, and there is some unrest about the voter registration process due to information about government-allocated registration centres. 

Overall, the training was a success, as participants left with practical skills and knowledge that will help them protect themselves and their organisations from online attacks.