David Francis Effiong

03/01/2024

Happening now with our Uganda team at Dahel Techies!

Link to join:

https://meet.google.com/esh-byos-chn

How can tech help me in my business🙄

A lot of people have thriving businesses and they can't just abandon them for tech because tech is not the only profitable business out there, we always ask these people to learn at least one tech skill for their business because having a tech skill will guarantee a smooth running of the business.

For instance, a businessman who learns Excel to use in his business will increase his productivity by five because instead of using his hands or paper and pen which are prone to mistakes, Excel will do it in a split second for you accurately.

To learn more about tech and how it can simplify your task, join us today in this webinar tagged "Tech Exhibition Webinar" happening today where Naome from Uganda will be the host.

The details of this event are as follows:

Date: TODAY

Time: 7:00-8:00 PM East Africa Time (EAT) or 5:00-6:00 PM West Africa Time

To register, kindly click on the link in the comment section



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02/25/2024

Glad to be accepted into the International Leadership Association for the 2nd year!

Many thanks to IREX, the US Department of State , and the ILA body for considering my application. For the last year, I have implemented over 20 projects and empowerment initiatives targeted at Youth/Child development and technology education in Nigeria and elsewhere. As you read this, we are building a community in Uganda and can't wait to introduce you to the young people passionate about closing the digital divide in their regions too.

This year (2024) however would be different in a way, especially considering our stake in a new (large scale) entrepreneurship venture which would welcome more global partners and collaborators.

I hope to show up more in the ILA community this year and would be looking forward to the conference at Chicago later this year!

Congratulations to everyone else who got in this time!

02/19/2024

Are you surviving or thriving?

I had lost my second contract job after uni and I'll tell you why.

You see, it was my first experience working remotely for a foreign company. Before this contract remote work happened, I had worked with a Nigerian employer in Nassarawa State. I was owed salary for 3 months. The more I asked , "sir when will I get paid", the more this question was saved inside my brain.

So when I found myself working remotely in this foreign company, I doubted they will pay me on time. I was so traumatized by my Nigerian work experience that I spent more time thinking about my payment than the job. My survival instincts was so wild that after submitting my task for the week, my next email was "...when am I expecting payment...?" It got so bad that in a month, I asked this question more times than questions concerning how to improve the quality of my deliverables.

My immediate supervisor noticed this trend and sent me an email one time: "...David, looking forward to your submissions this week. And oh, don't send an email to remind us to pay you. We always do..."

It was at that point, I knew that my trauma needed an attending. I started applying for jobs again even though I wasn't let go. I knew that I won't be seen as productive and innovative with the mentality I had. But I also needed to work on myself.

After deep reflection, I decided to search for volunteering opportunities. I applied and was accepted. In the first month, I would work on a ghostwriting project for someone and got no payment. In another month, I got to volunteer for a new online TV station. I kept volunteering for different roles and for close to a year, I had to teach my body, soul and spirit to break free from the demon of surviving. I wanted to thrive.

My efforts paid off. I got to work with my first International organization and the rest is history.

You see my friend, if you're always worried about where your next meal will come from, where your next cloths, transport fare, drink, etc would come from, you might be on survival mode. With this mode, your first instinct is NOT to improve the quality of your life and/or work. Your first instinct is to search for people, businesses, companies or organizations that can SERVE YOUR STOMACH.

Employers see this most of the time and it reflects also in your performance and the quality of your work.

In fact one question we must ask ourselves to gauge our survival mode (s) is: what am I afraid to lose, and why?


When you are thriving, you already know that food is not your problem. You also know that even if you're broke for a day, someone somewhere will pay for your services. You know that you can always bounce back from any tough journey. You know that whatever you lost is temporary.

If you're thriving, the universe blesses your spirit with more. Yes. For the "rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer". This wasn't a prophecy...this was a lesson for life.

Don't just survive, thrive!

02/17/2024

I recently got a prestigious badge from Seed Spot, Phoenix, AZ, following my participation at the 'Investor Ready Series' entrepreneurship program. This came after 5 months of graduating from the Business Plan Academy, Tech Plan Africa.

A couple of years back, I was working in a Fundraising department, initiating and managing projects worth thousands of dollars. While at DC for my work with Plan, USA, I was exposed to the world of global fundraising - I was awestruck by the number of individuals helping to fund projects worth millions of dollars. But I also needed to get seriously engaged with my story and passion in closing the digital divide and opening up opportunities for young Africans beyond the tech ecosystem.

I wasn't sure how to start; it was while I met some incredibly Africans in the diaspora, that I started looking at answering the question, "what are the indicators from your organization that will invite funders/investors?" Ever since that meeting, we have been making strategic decisions and connecting vigorously with industry experts to solidify our work and authenticate our impact. Aside growing in numbers, we have kept ourselves ready for partnerships, support and collaboration. One of such recent affiliation is with Nigeria's Federal government under the National Information and Technology Development Agency.

I want to specifically thank the Mandela Washington Fellowship for accepting me to the SEED SPOT program and TechPlan Africa for the incredible lessons I received on Business Plan writing. By the way, I must never forget to mention my classes with Adejoke Lasisi of Planet 3R on how to search for global (funded) opportunities and how to pitch professionally.

If you read up to this point and you run a business, organization, or enterprise in need of funding and investors, try to put yourself out there and learn from those who have been successful at it. I will be passing this knowledge to my team at DaHel Consultants & Techies as well as apply them in a new company we recently acquired.

01/22/2024

It's a great honour to be sharing the stage as speaker with the following guests (Shomy Hasan Chowdhury, Safaa Ouchen, Marysela Zamora, and Thomas Sithole)


Meet our guests below:

1) Shomy Hasan Chowdhury

Shomy Hasan is an award-winning Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activist from Bangladesh, currently based in London, UK. She is a development professional with 10+ years of experience in community development. Shomy co-founded the global non-profit Awareness 360 (Instagram: ), through which she empowers young people across 40+ countries in advancing the UN Global Goals. She has been recognized by Samsung Global and UNDP as the first ever Generation17 Young Leader from the Asia Pacific for the inaugural cohort, one in 4 in the world. For her outstanding social impact, she was listed as a Forbes 30 Under 30 & was spotlighted as a Featured Honoree.

She is also a McCain Global Leader, Specialist of the US State Department's CEE Program, Global Citizen Youth Advocate, former Asia Representative of the Commonwealth Students’ Association, Global Changemakers Fellow, Royal Commonwealth Society Fellow, Queen's Commonwealth Trust Member, Youth Advisory Board Member of Youth Combating NTDs, Advisor at Social Enterprise World Forum, and sits in leadership & advisory positions of multiple international organizations.

With a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Master's degree in Global Affairs as a Schwarzman Scholar, Shomy's expertise is well-rounded. In 2018, Shomy was invited to Pakistan as an International Election Observer to observe the Pakistan General Elections, appointed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland.

Shomy, an international public speaker, regularly addresses keynotes and has inspired millions across 5 continents. She spoke at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, New York, addressing a crowd of over 60,000 people.

She was also invited to Kensington Palace, UK to meet His Royal Highness Prince William. Other remarkable speaking engagements include the likes of the United Nations Headquarters, The White House, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, the Asian Leadership Conference, the Global Baku Forum, and many more.

A global youth icon, Shomy, has been seen on BBC, MSNBC, TEDx, Nasdaq, Forbes, Hello!, the World Bank & IMF, British Council, Humans of Kuala Lumpur, and many more. Her notable recognitions include the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold) by President Barack Obama, the Putra Icon Award, the Global Leader Award, and The Diana Legacy Award. Shomy has also played a significant role as a high-level judge for esteemed international awards and competitions such as The Diana Legacy Award and the UN SDG Action Awards. She currently works as the Project Manager, Centre for Social Action at The Diana Award.

2) Safaa Ouchen

"I am the Chief Executive Officer of MediAlaoui Agency, a digital agency aiming to create change and help small companies and entrepreneurs promote their products and services on the web using innovative and abordable approaches. We aim to work with 25000 small companies and entrepreneurs by 2030.

I am an architect and urban planner passionate about social entrepreneurship and leadership. I love creating projects, managing teams and creating value to positively impact society.

I am the former president of Anoual Association focusing on Empowering the future leaders for effective initiative and positive impact in their communities. I'm also the Founder of Enactus Ena, an international NGO/network of students’ social entrepreneurs that aims to support students in implementing their social entrepreneurship projects.

I was the Director of Badir Sale – youth platform focusing on Investing in Human Capital to meet the challenges facing Moroccans , we aim to reduce major socio-economic deficits, promote the economic integration of the most disadvantaged, our goal is to improve income by using the power of innovation and social entrepreneurship to tackle the challenges to human development in order to create an economic inclusion and build a better future for Morocco."

3) Marysela Zamora

Founder and CEO of Nosotras Women Connecting. Head of the Americas Chapter, DCN Global.
Spokesperson, strategist and lobbyist of the national campaign on menstrual health “Cambiemos la Regla”

Artistic and General Director of the Costa Rica Theatre Company of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, 2020-2022 during Carlos Alvarado Quesada Administration.

Independent producer of performing arts, films, opera, musical theatre, film festivals, among others.

4) Thomas Sithole

Thomas Sithole is a Media and Information Literacy (MIL) professional, New media entrepreneur, Youth development expert, Peace practitioner and Gender Equality &Social Inclusion specialist.


He is the founder of Zimbabwe Centre for Media and Information Literacy (ZCMIL) and alumna of the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) Community Solutions program, a program for global change makers and catalysts for game changing global development solutions.

Through his expertise, Sithole has supported and worked as a Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) collaborative partner. He has also supported the Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) program as a specialist mentor.
Sithole’s organization ZCMIL has impacted thousands of youths and marginalized communities in Zimbabwe and other countries on the continent through transformational and innovative media initiatives anchored on Media and Information Literacy principles in an open and civically engaged society.

He has successfully coached and mentored youth on positive social change in growing democracies in many parts of Africa including Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Cameroon.
Currently, Sithole is based in Accra, Ghana where he serves as the Gender equality, diversity and social inclusion advisor, supporting over 15 local organizational partners with World University Service of Canada (WUSC).

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I want to thank my friend Mr Chibuzor, Founder of the Sunrise Youth Intervention Organization, a US Exchange Alumni and a Community Development Specialist for the invite.
......
I don't know about you, but this is the type of event, conversations and circle every young person need engage with. It's even better that the topic is around rediscovering and reinventing the self. I'm honoured to speak on this topic as well. Details on flyer!

01/18/2024

A couple of months ago I had a live session where I talked about my experience as a Mandela Washington Fellow.

Some of you attended that session and today I got another good news from this person 👇👇👇.

I keep telling folks that if you have an opportunity to make this world better for another person, take it. There's no one owner of knowledge.

I've been helped by so many people when it comes to getting the right information. I understand how and why certain people may not want to share their secrets or tips to help another. I wasn't wired like that...I also discovered that the more I help people find the right resources, information, and opportunities, the easier it gets even for me.

In the times I've been stuck, kind strangers do come through.

I hope this person gets into the program.

Perhaps, there's a lesson here.

P.S. By the way the video recording of that session (where I talked about how to structure your Mandela Washington Fellowship Essay) is on my YouTube. You might want to bookmark till when application opens this year.

01/14/2024

I just remembered one lady I was dating over a decade ago.

I was dating her, but she wasn't dating me.

I was new to the way of the world outside books and work. I thought love was all about showing sincere concern for your partner, buying her gifts and taking her to any new restaurant, bar or club in town.

I was crazy about this lady. So crazy that I would drive my dad's new 504 to her place, pick her and drop her off anywhere she wanted.

Unfortunately, life happened and I needed to get back to school in a far away State. We kept talking every day, and then sometimes once or thrice a week.

She got a job and I needed an extra skill. After a couple of months, I was back in town and we continued as if we were new lovers.

Sadly, when I misplaced my phone, her contact was also lost. There was no Facebook, no WhatsApp, and I wasn't smart enough to use someone else's phone to call her.

Somehow I wished she called my sister who had some of my classmates' contacts or at least be worried.

By the time I got a new phone, I now had access to the internet. I quickly saved my girlfriend's number and that of her sister. I tried to call Miriam and couldn't reach her.

"Hello Patricia, how are you...this is David...please can you send me Miriam's number?"

Not so soon, I sent Miriam a message on Whatsapp and she never responded. After a few days, I saw Miriam's photo on her sister's Whatsapp status -which I had just discovered.

"Where's Miriam now and is that baby your new brother or sister... congratulations?"

"...that's her baby and she's with her husband at Akpabuyo..."

I wasn't sure what I felt that day, but I survived.

As I matured into an adult, I discovered that in the three years I knew Mariam, she was never dating me..

I was the one always calling, checking on her, sending her gifts, taking her to fun spots, visiting her place, name it. I can't even think of a single gift she got me.

The gospel of my love then was, "you're the man...make all the effort and expect nothing in return".

How naive I was...

As I grew, I fell in love again. It was a long distance relationship, but it didn't start that way. When we finally met after a few months apart, she was too busy to hangout with me.

"I came to this town under very dangerous circumstances to spend good time with you. You never texted me to find out my location at any point on a 20 hour road trip. Scratch that...when I arrived town and informed you, you never asked me how the journey was. When I even asked to see you, your response was 'i'm busy and tired now'.

After typing all these, I deleted the message and never looked back. When I got my first International job and posted the goodnews on Facebook, she was one of the first to message me:

"David, I'm so sorry...I know I messed up...let's come back together..."

Before then, one year had passed after I stopped calling her or sending her texts, etc. Until she wrote me that message, I didn't realize she was a friend on Facebook.

Blocked.

What's my point here:

1) As you're making all those efforts to please your man or woman, find out if that partner of yours is doing same. If you stopped calling, will they call? If you stopped doing something for them, will they be worried, try to find out if you're okay, or try to assist?

2) Run away from any relationship that saps you of all your powers without replenishing them in good deeds, kind words and reciprocal actions.

Don't wait till someone destroys your good heart and will before you walk away from a toxic, dishonest, unfulfilling, one-sided love, and absolute greed.

You're hoping they change...yet it seems that during that wait period it's you who might change for the worse. 😔

Oh, as an adult now, I will judge you by the little efforts you have made, not by the empty words you speak!

I strongly believe that no body should spend their lives with anyone whose efforts and loyalty is zero. If your relationship is important to you, you will work hard at it...

And

Don't be with someone who has nothing to lose...

01/12/2024

If you're in Calabar, Cross River State, please come and support DaHel Consultants & Techies alongside two other training providers for our first 3MTT Orientation!

Time: 10 am to 1 pm WAT.

Venue: The Doom, Calabar Municipal Garden Opposite Chicken Republic, Marian, Calabar.

Come and connect with the Fellows, learn more about the program, the courses, and expectations.

We will be having some special guests during the orientation as well.

If you've been looking for an opportunity to connect with the Tech ecosystem in Cross River State, don't miss this opportunity!

See you soon 😎😍❤️

01/09/2024

Some good news!

I'm happy to announce that the Federal Government of Nigeria under the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has approved a partnership with Dahel Techies.

This partnership will see to it that Dahel Techies works with the Federal Government to provide Educational Technology services to millions of Nigerians through the 3 Million Technical Talent Program (3MTT).

I want to really thank Dr 'Bosun Tijani , the Minister of Information, Communication and Digital Economy and his team at NITDA for accepting to work with Dahel Techies.

If you are in Nigeria at the moment, you must have seen advertisements of the 3MTT fellows program on TV.

It took over 3 months for us to be approved as Training Providers. After our application was accepted, the Federal Government had to make sure that DaHel Consultants & Techies operates legally and has a trust-worthy presence in and out of Nigeria.

We had nothing to fear because we pay our taxes, have records of staff, trainers and students and sincerely care for all students/clients. The verification notice/approval came in December, 2023. Now, for the next couple of months, we will be working with the government to close the digital divide one community at a time in Nigeria!

Thank you to our dear staff, Okoli I. who first brought this opportunity to us. Thank you to all of you that put in your best in your work and in your training!

Now it's time to show the Federal Government that we are whom we say we are! 😍😊☺️

P.S. We already have hundreds of students assigned to us by NITDA. If you're in Cross River State and environs and you're skilled in, and have evidence of experience in Product management, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics and Visualization, kindly email us for collaborative partnership to assist our staff on ground already!

Congratulations to Dahel Techies!

01/07/2024

Join me NOW on Radio today to talk about Green Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Kindly tune in to Voice of Nigeria at 1:45 WAT to listen to our Lead Strategist, Mr David Francis Effiong, talk about this very important topic! You'll be learning about this crucial technology, why banks need to adopt it and many ways to fights against cyber-attacks.

If you've been looking at opportunities to work in the financial sector/Green ICT, then listen to this radio interview at 1:45 pm WAT TODAY!

You can listen from anywhere in the world. Download the RADIO GARDEN APP and search for VOICE OF NIGERIA.

You can also listen to Voice of Nigeria from https://radio.garden/listen/voice-of-nigeria/k05gCdlw

Soon!

P.S. It will be repeated on Wednesday by 1130GMT which is 12:30pm Nigerian time.

Explore live radio by rotating the globe.

12/29/2023

As a man, self-control is one of the most difficult values or virtues to have.

Num. 1......

I remember when I was around the Detroit area last year. On knowing this, one of my contacts called me & wanted us to be together. This was even more tempting because with an invite from her, visiting Canada for the first time would've been fun. I declined.

Num. 2.....

I had a friend who wanted me to manage his new brothel. I was so broke and this offer came just when I needed a job badly. After playing out the consequences of this new path in my head, I declined.

Num. 3...

Without sorting out my anger towards my partner at the time, I travelled to another State for a conference. I was so distant from common sense that I spent half a million naira in a club in a single night. My lack of self-control in spending money carelessly almost ruined my finances beginning from that night.

🐥🐥🐥🐥
In the first scenario, I really wanted to visit Canada, but it came at a price. I had to choose self-control or a dangerous price. In the 2nd scenario, I also had to choose living out my purpose or sticking to my daily bread. In the 3rd scenario, I had learnt that any man who does not have self-control over his emotions is a danger to his finances.

I use these three scenarios out of so many because they all represent the three most powerful desires of most men: 1) better opportunities for influence/ wealth, 2) opportunities for self-care/pleasure and 3) control of his environment/situation.

So you see that without self-control, I would've had little/no reason to stick to my partner at the time. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to contribute to closing the digital divide in Africa through Dahel Techies. I also wouldn't have learnt how to control my expenditures.

So dear young man, I beg you, this 2024, master the art of self-control.

A) You will save a lot of money. Think about how much you'd save on those random dates, unnecessary subscriptions, hotel bills, contraceptives, & travel bills.

B) You will think clearly without the interference of the non-essentials. Think about the many times you couldn't finish a course, a job, travel for a life changing event, because you're worried about someone/ something you shouldn't have had any business with in the first place.

C) You will be able to stick to your purpose in life. Think about the many times you wished you didn't take that job, have that relationship, make that move, etc...now all you are doing is settling for the least, the worst and the "I'm-just-there" moments.

P.S. Even right here on social media, you must be self-controlled to avoid making posts and comments that go against your very essence in an attention-seeking economy.

You will stay focussed on your business or on anything that grows you.

After all, self-control or the lack of it is like a seed, it grows when watered. If your dreams are that big, so must your control of the self - the very thing that can keep your dream alive!

12/27/2023

Dahel Techies has been recognized by Tech Talent Zone to be one of the 10 best tech training firms in Nigeria, 2023!

We want to thank the Tech Talent Zone team for considering what we do at Dahel Techies to be game changing - making tech education accessible and affordable to thousands of young Africans, recent professionals and especially those from underserved African communities!

We want to thank all those who recommend others to use our platform, join our events/programs and ultimately provide us with feedback.

To the DaHel Consultants & Techies team, you all rock too!

We go again 2024! 😍

Link to read the publication is in the comment section! 👇

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas from me and mine. 😀😎

12/24/2023

Merry Christmas, everyone! May the celebration of this season pe*****te our hearts and the hearts of everyone with prayers hanging on hope's scale.

Video credit(Vienna).

12/22/2023

"BLACK TAX

The portrait speaks a thousand words, and perhaps to seventy years worth of generations.

Not an excuse, but colonialism took more from our ancestors than we can imagine. It took their present, stole their past achievements and put a stop to passing on land and power to their future generations.

Having navigated the bachelors I would pursue after completing highschool in South Africa, the term "black tax" often came up in the conversation. The newspapers, SABC breakfast programs, Enca business intervies, radio show topics on entrepreneurship and success, they all chirruped the conversation on black tax.

Returning home from an expensive private school only to find an eviction facing your home front door and everything already packed outside due to failure to pay rent will also make you pay attention to the conversation at a young age. It will automatically place in your heart the desire to thrive and pay that "black tax" to your struggling parents before equipping yourself for wealth creation.

Today an unmarried young man can earn $2000 per month, which is great, until 3/4s of that has to finish mom's house, pay little sister's tuition fees, frequent grandpa to Mloganzilla for more dignified care and help give cousin Masanja a second chance in building a meaningful life.

What should the black child do? Where can the sons of the sun turn to when the first job after graduation and unemployment finds itself at the cross road between taking care of the past and building a future?

Such crucial conversations do not frequent the mass media [...] although the subject is even more relevant to our massively struggling tribes and communities.

Incase someone reading this is still puzzled at the term "black tax", here's a colourful definition: Black tax is the obligation of a young african determined to curve their own path to success, to first face the bulwark of having to break the cycle of poverty back at home."

In the Nigerian context, what bothers me is that even those who had no contributions to your education are given the opportunity to benefit from it. This gets even crazy for some first-borns who take on their parents' primary obligations of caring for their children early enough.

And so, we have young men or women who spend more than half of their earnings on 'settling' their families. They do this for years until it starts to feel like a divine obligation. You feel guilty or selfish if you plan to start your own family, resign from an unrewarding job, move cities or countries, leave toxic relationships, or even build your business. You feel guilty of truly living because of this assumed 'divine' obligation. Sadly, you may not see the light if you love the cave...

(C) credits to the unknown painter of the below. Post written by Gilbert Mossama and revisited by David Francis Effiong

12/21/2023

In March, 2023, we started the Free Excel Sessions in addition to other free-to-attend events in Dahel Techies like interviews, and the first DTechies African Tech, and later the UK conferences. We have recorded over 8,000 registration/ participants from Africans resident in the UK, US, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, Canada, Finland and elsewhere during these sessions/events from March till September 2023.

We intend to continue this impactful living in 2024. So beginning from January, we will resume our 7 WEEKS FREE MICROSOFT EXCEL SESSIONS.

This is why for the first time, we need you to participate in this endeavour by joining the Dahel Techies team today.

What will this support do for us?

It will enable us reach over 5,000 + more young people and recent professionals from Africa lacking in basic to advanced Excel skills/knowledge of the technology space.

In return for your support, we will be willing to pair you with our UK Ambassador early next year for a mentorship or/and career session in Tech. We are also open to more collaborations and partnerships as well.

Send your support to:

Zelle: 3464750460 (Dollar)
Zenith Bank: 1222032653 (Naira)

The link for the Free Microsoft Excel Masterclass is here:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/DgHPQJ18G0s13x4rqbhdgM

Please share this link with your contacts!

Topics to be treated:

1) Basic Excel Functions
2) Lookup Functions
3) Pivot Tables and Charts
4) Index, Match, Index-Match
5) Power Query Editor
6) VBA/Macros
7) Regression Analysis
8) Correlation Matrix
9) Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Sheets
10) Introduction to Excel Interactive Dashboards.

Bonus: Introduction to Data Analytics .

ALL OF THIS FOR FREE!

Thank you for your support and your trust in Dahel Techies!