On July 20th, Tech Women Cameroon, in collaboration with American Spaces Cameroon in Yaoundé, launched the first session of their “High Impact Skills Program – Unlock Your Potentials” on Critical Thinking and Media Literacy. This initiative aims to foster critical thinking and media literacy among participants, equipping them with the skills necessary to navigate and contribute to the media landscape ethically and effectively.
The inaugural session, chaired by Fabrice Makem, saw an impressive turnout with 32 attendees onsite at Brain Booster in Yaoundé and 85 participants joining online. This session is the first of three, and with successful completion – it will lead to certification of successful participants as a critical thinker and media-literate individual.
The primary objective of the workshop is to develop participants’ abilities to analyze, evaluate, and produce media content responsibly. Emphasis was placed on understanding the role of media, identifying reliable sources of information, and the ethical consumption and distribution of content. Participants engaged in discussions about the media ecosystem, exploring key themes, the process of information treatment, and methods to identify quality information.
Fabrice Makem highlighted the importance of these skills in today’s digital age, where misinformation can spread rapidly. “Our goal is to produce critical thinkers and media-literate consumers who can discern and disseminate accurate information,” he stated.
The workshop’s interactive format included practical exercises designed to enhance participants’ critical thinking abilities and media literacy. By the end of the program, attendees are expected to have a robust understanding of the media’s function and the competence to engage with it critically and ethically.
This initiative by Tech Women Cameroon founded by Aurel Tayou and American Spaces Cameroon is a significant step towards empowering individuals with the skills needed to thrive in an information-rich world. The next two sessions promise to build on this foundation, further equipping participants with the tools to become informed and responsible media consumers and creators.