An African Business Perspective on Social Activism and SoLoMoCo William Jackson, M.Ed
My Quest to Teach – #MyQuestToTeach
Orange Africa
Africans are taking dynamic and engaged opportunities to understand Branding, creating Niches as a business owner; building the foundation of understanding the value of
digital content in relation to business and entrepreneurialism.
Applying the So-Lo-Mo-Co concepts that are applied not just in business, but ministry. Connecting digital tools to social engagement and activism. So-social Lo-local Mo-mobile Co-community uses of Social Media platforms and tools to share content and collaborate in dynamic and engaged projects. The pandemic forces the use and application of digital tools. Meeting face to face in business and ministry will change for years to come. Intellectual property will be more valuable than physical
structures.
African business owners should be engaged with their communities using digital platforms that are not just used to gain profits, but to apply digital tools to build relationships and influence the thinking of the community. Engagement is key, changing the perspectives of the community, to empower the community to see what changes need to be made and providing the resources to create necessary social, economic
and educational improvements so everyone can benefit.
The knowledge that is necessary is available at the finger tips of everyone. Technology has cleared the way to gaining as much knowledge as necessary to manage the changes in thinking of running remote businesses. There are no excuses
for the lack of learning for African business leaders.
Business owners take their level of engagement and influence digital using intellectual references that influences thinking locally, nationally and globally. Because of the pandemic African business owners no matter what size will have to
think bigger, borders and global.
Diversity of Africa
In order to have a strong and stable community, businesses should know the needs of their communities, the challenges that are present and how they can collaborate with local
schools, ministries and even higher educational institutions.
These connections help build partnerships that allow for potential internships to cultivate new talent and new innovators. African businesses that lack connections with higher education are missing great opportunities for future employees that have the skills necessary to
grow and compete.
Employment opportunities for youth, teens and young adults are growing in this digital world if they are willing to put in the work, have a vision for the future. The challenge for African youth, teens and young adults is to understand that learning is ongoing, it never stops and building professional learning networks and taking advantage of professional learning
communities does matter.
Efforts like the World Literacy Foundation
https://www.facebook.com/worldliteracyfoundation/
inspire learning with leaders like Victor shown below.
Victor Owuor @victoravikobits – Twitter – Sunflower Trust
Literacy Advocates in Africa PALE Project Coordinator Victor Owuor Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/victor.owuor.395
has been chosen to represent Kenya in a global initiative to advocate and fundraiser for literacy in the world by World Literacy Foundation
https://www.facebook.com/worldliteracyfoundation/
Learning how to apply SoLoMoCo so connections are growing, changes in the community are being made that benefit the community not just one individual. The pandemic is showing that community work is needed to assist in strengthening financial resources, educational opportunities and
changing thinking directions.
Africans realize now more than ever the value of wireless communication infrastructures. They are important to build connections that open collaborations and create connections for social, educational and economic activism and growth
locally, nationally and grab global partnerships.
Digital Innovation
Africans collectively from academia, ministry business, finance, commerce and other key areas in a business structure need to understand that the power of engagement is more than social engagements it can be used to open doors for economic growth. Building a Brand and creating a Niche
for business minded youth, teens and young adults.
Evangelists Enoch and George in Jos Nigeria
In ministry Let The Bible Speak TV Evan. Wabomba George (Uganda) and Evan. Enoch Mbaihondoum (Chad) and Teacher William Jackson (USA)
https://www.facebook.com/LET-the-BIBLE-SPEAK-TV-109526513806972/
African communities are only as stable and strong as the generational workforce coming up. The community only grows with the talents and availability of youth, teens and young adults. The issue with many communities not just Africa, but other nations is that children lack exposure and mentor-ships that guide them into innovators, creators and dreamers of change. When children cease to dream this is a dangerous sign that
there is a lack of vision for future creativity.
Social digital activism in bringing people together for economic empowerment and building Entreprenurialism, Branding and finding that Niche to connect with. Establishing a digital footprint that is relevant and realistic in the community where Africans will benefit from services and products made available that can be accessible while online. Economic empowerment can only change when communities show that they are worthy of investments and future building. Technology must be applied efficiently, but the infrastructure
must be in place, able to be connected 24/7 365.
KidsCamp Lagos
Community technology workshops are important because they will show that people have a vision for their communities. Offering opportunities to teach, mentor, guide and empower generations. Looking at communities across the African continent and nations that have wonderful potential for growth and investments. Intellectualism
is the basis for economic and even political achievements.
The first African to win the Nobel Prize in literature, Wole Soyinka, has stated on several occasions that the reversal of Africa’s brain drain is key to the continent’s development. The statement was made at the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group’s Sixteenth Eminent Speakers Programme on Monday, October 25, 2010. This pandemic shows the truth
to those transformative words.
Africans should take time to meditate on those words and see how they can apply to personal life. The diversity of each African neighborhood is part of a community, each community is part of the body of a city and cities help make a nation. Collectively nations
create the continent.
Community begins to die when learning investments stop. When schools are not supported, when intellectualism is cast away and when people stop seeing the value of the people in neighborhoods and communities. When reading about Chinua Achebe his clear understanding about value of learning can be seen in this quote: “To me, being an intellectual doesn’t mean knowing about intellectual issues; it means taking pleasure in them.” The pleasure of learning and the enjoyment and innovation of applying that enjoyment is what will build Africa past other national like the United States, Russia and
make Africa competitive with China.
African Digital Integration
The intellectual influence taking the community on a path of growth, productivity, inclusion in the economic and political processes is needed. People need to learn to bring about a mental change of elevation and stability
in growth economically, educationally and socially.
How many opportunities do African youth, teens young adults see men and women in events that do not include sports and entertainment. The careers of the 21st and 22nd century are here, African youth need exposure and opportunities and people that will build them to be 21st and 22nd
century leaders.
If African children only see ONE side of the story they will only stay on that ONE side. If children only see others that look like them as labours, lower educated and lower economic status many will accept this as normal and not try to improve their lives. Vision is valuable, vision is memorable and vision
is generational.
Mary Job – Nigeria Business Owner, Blogger, Content Creator
Successful digital content creators
Mary Job,
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryojob/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/maryojob
WordPress TV – https://wordpress.tv/?s=mary+job
African So, Lo, Mo, Co Applying So – Social awareness to change in the community using digital technologies can reach people and make those connections. Lo – Local engagement is important because of the influences of investments, promoting and gaining the attention of the community and building families. Mo – Mobile technologies that are growing and adapting
for people to branch out and collaborate across borders.
To continue to build digital infrastructures that encourage young minds to enter into STEAM careers and grow beyond their current economic, educational and social situations. Co – Communities needs to see people growing, educated, employed
and engaged in learning and economic growth and development.
William is the digital innovator for his brand My Quest To Teach using the hashtag #MyQuestToTeach sharing his journey teaching, mentoring,
community activism and community collaborations.