In this engaging conversation, Helen Andromedon, a digital security trainer from East Africa known for her work with the Safe Sisters project, brings a fresh perspective to online safety. She shares how approaching digital security training with joy and playfulness fosters better learning. Helen discusses the challenges faced by women and activists in navigating online threats and emphasizes the importance of mentorship and community support. Her optimism shines through as she tackles the impact of funding cuts while encouraging women to take charge of their digital security.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Learning Should Be Fun
Make learning digital security playful to improve knowledge retention.
Even serious topics benefit from joy and engagement in training.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Safe Sisters Fellowship Model
Design trainings exclusively for women and high-risk activists to address unique challenges.
Provide safe, non-judgmental spaces for discussing online harassment and digital security.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Mentorship and Trustworthy Info
Use a mentorship approach where trained individuals teach others with accurate digital security information.
Ensure reliable, vetted resources to counter misinformation found online.
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Many people approach digital security training with furrowed brows, as an obstacle to overcome. But what if learning to keep your tech safe and secure was consistently playful and fun? People react better to learning, and retain more knowledge, when they're having a good time. It doesn’t mean the topic isn’t serious – it’s just about intentionally approaching a serious topic with joy.
That’s how Helen Andromedon approaches her work as a digital security trainer in East Africa. She teaches human rights defenders how to protect themselves online, creating open and welcoming spaces for activists, journalists, and others at risk to ask hard questions and learn how to protect themselves against online threats. She joins EFF’s Cindy Cohn and Jason Kelley to discuss making digital security less complicated, more relevant, and more joyful to real users, and encouraging all women and girls to take online safety into their own hands so that they can feel fully present and invested in the digital world.
In this episode you’ll learn about:
How the Trump Administration’s shuttering of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has led to funding cuts for digital security programs in Africa and around the world, and why she’s still optimistic about the work
The importance of helping women feel safe and confident about using online platforms to create positive change in their communities and countries
Cultivating a mentorship model in digital security training and other training environments
Why diverse input creates training models that are accessible to a wider audience
How one size never fits all in digital security solutions, and how Dungeons and Dragons offers lessons to help people retain what they learn
Helen Andromedon – a moniker she uses to protect her own security – is a digital security trainer in East Africa who helps human rights defenders learn how to protect themselves and their data online and on their devices. She played a key role in developing the Safe Sisters project, which is a digital security training program for women. She’s also a UX researcher and educator who has worked as a consultant for many organizations across Africa, including the Association for Progressive Communications and the African Women’s Development Fund.
How to Fix the Internet