By Victor Itodo Abuh
MEMBERS of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Editorial Board Community Development Service (CDS) group on Wednesday carried out a sensitization outreach at Wuse Market, Abuja, educating traders and business owners on the responsible use of social media, combating misinformation and leveraging digital platforms to grow their businesses.
The outreach, which received approval from Abuja Markets Management Limited, brought corps members directly into the market to engage traders on the opportunities and challenges associated with social media use in today’s digital age.
Despite heavy rainfall during the exercise, the corps members remained committed to the outreach, interacting with traders and providing practical guidance on how to use social media responsibly and effectively.
Speaking on the experience, one of the participating corps members, Olubimo Helen Omoyemi, described the exercise as both memorable and impactful.
“Carrying out the sensitization under the rain was a unique and memorable experience. I genuinely enjoyed every moment of it. The rain didn’t dampen our spirits; instead, it made the experience even more exciting and meaningful. Seeing people remain engaged and receptive to our message was very fulfilling and I’m glad we were able to make an impact while having fun at the same time,” she said.
Another corps member, Onize Blessing, noted that while the weather initially appeared to threaten the success of the exercise, the experience ultimately reinforced the importance of adapting to challenges and remaining focused on community impact.
“At the inception of this project, everything felt smooth, but life doesn’t always go as planned. We were feeling bad about the rain, but right now I feel so fulfilled about what we did today,” she said.
She recalled a particularly inspiring encounter with a trader who could read and write but had limited knowledge of how to use social media platforms for business promotion.
“One Hausa man who could read and write did not know how he could use his phone to make posts online, even though he had seen other people using social media. Teaching him and watching him practise what we taught him made everything very interesting. No one should have limits when it comes to using social media for their business,” she added.
Throughout the exercise, corps members demonstrated practical ways traders could use platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok to market products, reach wider audiences and build customer relationships. Participants were also advised to verify information before sharing it online and to avoid spreading false or misleading content.
The outreach forms part of the Editorial Board CDS’s commitment to promoting media literacy, responsible communication and community development through public education initiatives.
Participants described the exercise as successful and impactful, noting that it not only improved awareness among traders but also highlighted the growing importance of digital literacy in business growth and economic empowerment.
The group expressed its commitment to sustaining similar outreach programmes across communities in the Federal Capital Territory to promote responsible social media use and empower citizens with practical communication and digital skills.
