Imagine me, a communication management and political science major, joining this fellowship with GTI-U as their social media intern. After learning about GTI-U and its mission to bridge the digital divide between men and women and its focus on cybersecurity awareness and safety, I was initially hesitant when Ruth Atim, the GTI-U CEO and Founder, asked me to work on boosting their social media and website. I had originally assumed that I would be doing research for the summer. I have a communication major, but I haven't had much experience on the social media side. My confidence going into the summer, beginning with social media work, was low. But I was ready to attack the challenge in front of me.
Beginning June 1st, I was learning the ropes of Canva, the platform I used to create social media posts. At first, I was challenged to tap into my creative side. The posts I was creating needed a lot of work, but I was determined to continue. In the first few weeks, I received a lot of positive feedback on what I could do to adjust the posts to fit the aesthetic of GTI-U’s social media. As I began to get the hang of the posts, I became more confident in the work I was doing and in what I was sending out to the digital community.
I was given a social media calendar to follow each week, outlining the type of post for each day, Monday-Friday. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were for reels featuring online safety tips, cybersecurity tips, and highlights of ICT Mentorship. Tuesday and Thursday were for stand-alone posters empowering rural market women and Online Gender-Based violence awareness. In the beginning, the posters were much easier for me to complete, but as time went on, I improved at making the reels as well and felt comfortable sending them in to the team to be posted.
As time went on and I became more confident in my skills, I was able to focus more on the content I put into my posts. Creating content that people could resonate with and adapt to their own digital world was very important to me. Some of the reels I created related to cybersecurity tips and online safety tips included:
- What To Do If Someone Threatens You
- 5 Most Common Cybersecurity Mistakes
- Myth Vs. Fact: The Truth About Online Safety Assumptions
- Be an Upstander, Not a Bystander
- Your Password Is Your First Line Of Defense
I was very confident in posting this content, knowing that it would reach the audience who needed to see it. Additionally, I created many standalone posters on doxxing, digital footprints, cyberstalking, online scams, and more. All of this content aligns with GTI-U’s overarching mission and goals for cybersecurity awareness and advocacy, providing people with the tips and advice they need to stay safe online.
The posters I enjoyed creating most were those designed to empower rural market women. Because of the significant digital divide between men and women, many women feel they do not have a place in the digital world. As many technological career positions are stereotyped as being for men, women do not see themselves having a position. By creating inspirational posts targeted at women in the digital realm, I felt I was making an impact and encouraging them to get involved in digital spaces.
GTI-U is an incredible organization that I am so proud to be a part of. I have learned so much during my time as an intern that I likely would not have learned it otherwise. I learned more about Uganda, specifically Gulu (the capital). I got to hear testimony from real-life ICT Bootcamp participants and their guardians about the impact that GTI-U has had on their lives, found real statistics about the gaps between men and women in the digital realm, the events being held in the surrounding community such as the U.S. Ambassador William W. Popp’s visit to Gulu, and so much more. The entire GTI-U team was very welcoming, giving me time to improve my social media skills and offering advice on when certain things could be changed in my creations. Overall, I had a wonderful time working with the GTI-U team and gained so much experience and knowledge that I am eternally grateful for and will take into my future career and work environments
Evelyn Franz is double majoring in communication and political science, with plans to focus on human rights. On campus, she is involved in Women in Business, Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women, and Future Women in Law. She also works at the campus bookstore and in Housing and Residence Life.