MIVA STUDY PACK — You and Artificial Intelligence (English) Downloaded 2026-09-29. Free to pass on. You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 1: What AI Really Is — and What It Is Not 9 minutes read Artificial intelligence is software that learns patterns from enormous amounts of examples and uses those patterns to predict, write, translate, recognise or recommend. The app that finishes your sentence while you type, the system that flags a strange mobile-money transaction, the tool that identifies a crop disease from a photo — all of these are AI at work. WHAT IT IS NOT - It is not magic, and it is not a mind. It does not understand your life; it predicts likely patterns. - It is not always right. AI can state wrong information confidently. Checking important answers is your job. - It is not only for programmers. Farmers, nurses, traders and mechanics all use AI-powered tools already. - It is not coming 'one day.' It is here now, in your phone, your bank and your market. Think of AI like electricity a hundred years ago. At first it was a curiosity for specialists; within a generation, every job used it. The people who learned it early did not lose their jobs to electricity — they got the best jobs using it. AI is the same kind of shift, and you are early. [Why this course matters] Employers increasingly ask one question in interviews: 'Are you comfortable using AI tools?' After this course, your honest answer will be yes — with examples. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Which statement about AI is TRUE? A) AI understands the world exactly like a human B) AI learns patterns from examples and uses them to predict and generate — but it can be confidently wrong C) AI is only useful to software engineers D) AI always gives correct answers Answer: B — AI is pattern prediction at massive scale. That makes it powerful — and also means it can produce confident nonsense. Knowing both sides is real AI literacy. 2. What is the healthiest way to think about AI and your career? A) Ignore it and it will not affect my work B) AI will take every job so learning is pointless C) Like electricity, it will spread into every job — people who learn it early benefit most D) Only people abroad need to know about it Answer: C — Every general-purpose technology rewards early adopters. The goal is not to compete with AI but to be the person who uses it well. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 2: AI You Already Use Every Day 8 minutes read You do not need to download anything special to meet AI — you have used it for years without noticing. Recognising the AI already in your life is the fastest way to stop fearing it and start directing it. WHERE AI ALREADY WORKS FOR YOU - Your keyboard: autocorrect and next-word suggestions are AI predicting your writing. - Your camera and gallery: face recognition that groups photos by person. - Mobile money and banking: systems that flag unusual transactions as possible fraud. - Video and music apps: recommendations built from what you and millions of others watched. - Maps and ride apps: predicting traffic and arrival times. - Voice typing and translation: turning speech into text and languages into each other. Notice the pattern: in each case, AI handles the repetitive prediction while a human — you — makes the final decision. Autocorrect suggests, you choose the word. The bank flags, an officer investigates. That partnership — AI proposes, human decides — is exactly how AI is entering workplaces. [Exercise] For one day, keep a tally of every AI-powered feature you use. Most people count more than ten before lunch. You are not new to AI — you are experienced. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Which of these everyday tools uses AI? A) Autocorrect on your keyboard B) Fraud alerts from your mobile money provider C) Video recommendations D) All of the above Answer: D — All of these are AI systems predicting patterns — your next word, unusual transactions, videos you may like. AI is already woven into daily life. 2. What is the common pattern in how AI tools work with people today? A) AI makes final decisions and humans watch B) AI proposes or predicts; a human makes the final decision C) AI only works when humans are absent D) Humans are not involved at all Answer: B — Autocorrect suggests, you choose. The bank flags, an officer decides. Understanding this partnership shows you where human value stays: judgement, responsibility and care. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 3: Using AI Assistants Well 9 minutes read AI assistants — the chat tools that answer questions, draft text and explain concepts — are the most visible new AI. Used well, they are like having a patient tutor available at any hour. Used badly, they produce confident rubbish that you will be blamed for. The skill that separates the two is called prompting: how you ask. THE FOUR PARTS OF A GOOD PROMPT - Role and goal: 'I am a new pharmacy assistant preparing a display about malaria prevention…' - Context: who it is for and why. '…for customers in a busy neighbourhood shop in Kumasi.' - Format: how you want the answer. 'Give me five short bullet points in simple language.' - Limits: what to avoid. 'No medical claims, no expensive products, under 100 words.' Then apply the three checks before using any answer. One: verify facts that matter — prices, doses, dates, laws — against a trusted source. Two: localise it — AI often assumes American or European examples; adapt to your market, your currency, your regulations. Three: make it yours — edit into your own words so it sounds like you and fits your audience. [Never paste in secrets] Do not enter customer data, passwords, ID numbers, unpublished prices or your employer's private information into AI tools. Treat every prompt as if it could be read by a stranger. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Which is the strongest prompt? A) 'Write something about sales' B) 'I am a new mobile-money agent in Tamale. Give me a 5-point WhatsApp message welcoming new customers, in simple English, under 80 words, with no fees mentioned.' C) 'Do my job for me' D) 'Sales' Answer: B — Role + context + format + limits. The more precisely you describe what you need, the more useful the answer. Vague prompts get vague, generic results. 2. Before using an AI-drafted answer for something important, you should: A) Send it immediately — AI is always accurate B) Verify key facts, localise the examples, and edit it into your own words C) Add your employer's confidential data to improve it D) Translate it randomly Answer: B — Verify, localise, personalise. AI drafts; you are responsible for what you send. That responsibility is exactly why humans remain valuable. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 4: AI at Work: Where It Helps and Where Humans Win 9 minutes read Every job is a bundle of tasks. AI takes over some tasks, assists with others, and cannot touch the rest. Understanding this map for YOUR job is the difference between being threatened by AI and being promoted because of it. THE TASK MAP - AI replaces: repetitive prediction and processing — sorting, transcribing, first drafts, simple calculations, basic customer queries. - AI assists: analysis, writing, translation, planning, learning new skills — with a human checking and directing. - Humans keep: physical skill in unpredictable places, trust and relationships, judgement under uncertainty, responsibility when things go wrong, care for people. A bookkeeper who lets AI categorise transactions and then applies judgement to the exceptions finishes faster AND is more valuable. A nurse who uses an AI reference tool but keeps the human relationship with the patient is irreplaceable. The winning move in every field is the same: let AI carry the repetitive load so you can spend your time on the human work that pays more. [Interview answer] When an employer asks about AI, try this: 'I use AI tools to handle repetitive tasks faster, and I always verify important outputs. It frees my time for the work that needs judgement and relationships.' That answer puts you ahead of most candidates. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Which task is AI LEAST able to replace? A) Sorting receipts into categories B) Drafting a first version of a letter C) Calming a frightened customer and rebuilding their trust D) Transcribing a recording Answer: C — Trust, empathy and responsibility in emotional moments remain human territory. AI handles repetition; people handle relationships and judgement. 2. What is the best career strategy regarding AI at work? A) Refuse to use AI tools so your job stays safe B) Let AI do everything including your decisions C) Use AI for repetitive tasks, verify its outputs, and grow your human skills — judgement, relationships, craft D) Wait for employers to train everyone later Answer: C — Resisters fall behind; passive users add no value. The durable strategy is AI for the load, human for the judgement — and keep growing the skills AI cannot copy. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 5: Spotting Fakes and Staying Safe 9 minutes read The same technology that writes helpful messages can also write scams. AI now creates fake voices, fake videos (deepfakes) and perfectly written fraud messages. Your defence is not technical skill — it is verification habits. THE NEW SCAM LANDSCAPE - Voice cloning: a call that sounds exactly like a family member or your boss asking for urgent money. Defence: hang up and call them back on the number YOU have. - Deepfake videos: public figures or 'officials' promoting investments or giveaways. Defence: check the official website or verified account — never the link in the message. - Perfect scam messages: no more spelling errors to spot. Defence: judge by behaviour — urgency, secrecy, requests for money, codes or PINs are the warning signs, not grammar. - Fake job offers: 'pay a small fee to start a high-paying job.' Real employers never ask applicants to pay. One rule defeats almost all of these: never act on urgency alone. Any request for money, codes, PINs or quick decisions gets verified through a second channel — a call back to a known number, an official website typed by you, or a question asked in person. [Your one-time codes are keys] No bank, employer, government office or legitimate company will ever call or message you asking for your OTP, PIN or password. Anyone who asks is a criminal, without exception. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. You receive a call that sounds exactly like your uncle, urgently asking for money. What do you do? A) Send the money — it sounds like him B) Hang up and call him back on the number you already have C) Ask the caller to prove it by saying his name D) Send half the money to be safe Answer: B — AI voice cloning makes 'it sounds like them' worthless as proof. Calling back on a known number defeats the scam completely. 2. Which is a reliable warning sign of a scam message, even when the writing is perfect? A) Poor spelling B) Urgency, secrecy, and requests for money, codes or PINs C) A company logo D) A long message Answer: B — AI removed the spelling clues. What remains constant is scammer behaviour: pressure, secrecy, and requests for money or security codes. Judge behaviour, not grammar. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 6: Building Your AI-Ready Career 8 minutes read You now understand what AI is, where you already use it, how to work with AI assistants, where it helps at work, and how to stay safe. The final step is making AI part of your career advantage. YOUR AI ADVANTAGE PLAN - Pick one AI tool and practise weekly on real tasks from your life or work — drafting messages, learning a topic, planning an event. Skill comes from use, not reading. - Add 'comfortable using AI tools (with verification)' to your CV and your Miva profile — and be ready with a real example. - Stack your skills: AI literacy plus a trade or profession (solar, bookkeeping, pharmacy, customer service) is worth far more than either alone. - Keep your human edge sharp: reliability, honesty, relationships, local knowledge. As AI spreads, these become more valuable, not less. And share what you know. Teaching a family member to spot a voice-cloning scam, or showing a colleague how to prompt an assistant, makes you the person others come to — and that reputation opens doors. [Finish and prove it] Complete the quizzes to earn your free Miva certificate for this course. You are now part of the small group of people who understand AI well enough to use it — and explain it — at work. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Which combination makes a worker most valuable in an AI-changing workplace? A) AI skills alone, with no trade or profession B) A trade or profession while refusing all technology C) AI literacy stacked on a real trade or profession, plus strong human skills D) Avoiding both AI and training Answer: C — The premium goes to people who combine: domain skill + AI fluency + human judgement. Each layer multiplies the others. 2. What is the best way to build real skill with AI tools? A) Read about them once B) Practise weekly on real tasks from your own life and work C) Wait for a formal course to exist D) Watch others use them Answer: B — Like driving or cooking, prompting is learned by doing. Small weekly practice on real tasks builds durable skill faster than any amount of watching. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 7: Building Proof of Skill: Creating an AI Portfolio 8 minutes read WHY YOU NEED AN AI PORTFOLIO When you look for clients or apply for digital jobs, people rarely ask for your certificate first. They want to see what you can actually produce. If you tell a local shop owner in Lagos or Accra that you use AI to write marketing posts or design flyers, they might not understand what that means. They need to see real examples of your work. An AI portfolio is a simple collection of projects that shows how you use AI tools alongside your own brain. It proves that you can generate ideas fast, edit them for local context, and deliver neat, accurate results. THE 'BEFORE, PROMPT, AND AFTER' METHOD The best way to show your skill with AI is to show your process. Anyone can type a lazy prompt into a chat tool and get generic text. A skilled professional knows how to take raw AI output and polish it into something valuable. To build a strong sample project, show three steps: - The Client Need: Describe the problem. For example, 'A fashion designer in Kumasi needs 5 Instagram captions for a new Ankara collection.' - The Prompt and AI Draft: Show the exact instructions you gave the AI and the rough draft it produced. - The Final Edited Output: Show how you modified the text to include local slang, correct prices in Cedis or Naira, and the designer's phone number. This method proves to clients that you do not just copy and paste raw AI text. It shows you have human judgment. SIMPLE PROJECTS YOU CAN CREATE TODAY You do not need paid clients to build a portfolio. You can invent practice projects for imaginary or real local businesses. Here are three ideas you can build in one afternoon: - Customer Service Templates: Create a set of 5 WhatsApp reply templates for a bakery answering common questions about prices, delivery, and custom cakes. - Social Media Campaign: Draft 3 promotional posts and 3 flyer ideas for a local electronics repair shop in Lomé. - Business Document Summary: Take a long, free public government policy document and use AI to condense it into a clear 1-page summary for small business owners. [Try this today] Pick one small business in your neighborhood—like a hairdresser or a laundry shop. Use an AI assistant to draft 3 marketing posts for them. Edit the posts so they sound local and friendly, then save them in a folder on your phone as your first portfolio piece. WHERE TO HOST YOUR FREE PORTFOLIO You do not need an expensive website to showcase your work. Keep it simple so potential clients can open it on their phones without spending heavy data: - Google Drive Folder: Organize your samples into clear folders (e.g., 'Writing Samples', 'Flyer Designs') and share a view-only link. - PDF Portfolio: Combine your best 3 projects into a neat PDF using free phone apps like Canva or Google Docs. - WhatsApp Business Catalog: Upload image samples of your text or graphics directly to your WhatsApp Business profile catalog. [Never Present Raw AI Work as Your Own] Clients will quickly lose trust if you send them unedited AI text filled with foreign phrases, strange words, or fake facts. Always read, check, and edit everything before adding it to your portfolio. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. What is the 'Before, Prompt, and After' method in an AI portfolio? A) A way to show the client's problem, the raw AI output, and your final polished human edit. B) A rule that says you must spend 3 hours on every prompt you write. C) A method where you delete all your old prompts before sending work to a client. D) A system for automatically posting AI content on social media without checking it. Answer: A — This method proves your value by showing how you took a real problem, used AI as a assistant, and added your own human judgment to create a high-quality final product. 2. What is the best, low-data way to share your portfolio with local clients in West Africa? A) Building a heavy 3D website that requires a computer to open. B) Sharing a clean PDF, a view-only Google Drive link, or a WhatsApp Business catalog. C) Printing 100 color books and mailing them to offices. D) Sending 50 uncompressed voice notes over Telegram. Answer: B — Simple PDFs, Google Drive links, and WhatsApp catalogs open quickly on mobile phones and save data for both you and your potential clients. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 8: Finding AI-Assisted Work and Networking 8 minutes read TURNING AI SKILLS INTO SERVICES Knowing how to use AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude is a great digital skill, but clients do not pay you just because you know how to talk to a computer. They pay you to solve their problems faster and cheaper than someone else. Instead of telling people 'I am an AI expert,' offer concrete services that use AI behind the scenes. For example, offer to manage social media pages, draft business proposals, write product descriptions, or transcribe long voice notes into clean summaries. WHERE TO FIND YOUR FIRST CLIENTS You do not need to look across the ocean to find digital work. Many small business owners in your town, city, or local online groups are drowning in admin work and need help. - Local Business Owners: Tailors, boutiquers, caterers, and tech repair shops often lack time to write social posts or answer client inquiries promptly. - WhatsApp Community Groups: Join local business networks, trade groups, or school alumni groups where people regularly ask for graphic designers, typists, or social media helpers. - LinkedIn Basic: Create a free profile focusing on practical skills like 'Digital Assistant', 'Content Creator', or 'Admin Specialist'. Share simple tips on how local businesses can save time. - Facebook Groups: Search for local entrepreneurial groups in cities like Lagos, Abuja, Accra, or Takoradi where members post quick gig opportunities. [Try this today] Update your WhatsApp status or LinkedIn headline to show what practical service you offer. For example: 'I help local business owners create weekly social media posts and clean business documents fast. Message me for samples.' HOW TO PITCH YOUR SERVICES When reaching out to a shop owner or a busy professional, keep your message short, polite, and focused on their benefit. Do not spend time explaining complex AI technology. Here is an example of a good pitch over WhatsApp: 'Hello Mr. Kwame, I love your furniture shop on Oxford Street. I noticed your Instagram page hasn't been updated in two weeks. I help local businesses create 3 professional posts every week so you can keep attracting customers while focusing on making furniture. I can prepare a free week of sample captions for you to see. Would you like me to send them over?' This pitch works because it is respectful, shows you know their business, and offers proof before asking for money. [Beware of Fake Job Groups and Remote Scams] Be very careful with Telegram groups or social media ads that offer 'AI Prompt Jobs' paying huge sums like ₦200,000 daily for typing words. If a group asks you to pay a registration fee, buy 'unlock codes', or deposit crypto before receiving work, it is a scam. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. When pitching your AI-assisted services to a local business owner, what should you focus on? A) How expensive and complicated the AI software is. B) How your service saves them time and solves a real problem for their business. C) Asking them to pay you upfront before you explain what you can do. D) Explaining the technical code behind artificial intelligence models. Answer: B — Business owners care about results, saving time, and growing their business. They care about the value you deliver, not the technical back-end of the tool. 2. What should you do if an online remote job group asks you to pay a 'registration fee' to access AI tasks? A) Pay immediately using your mobile money account. B) Borrow money from a friend so you do not miss the opportunity. C) Recognize it as a scam, refuse to pay, and leave the group. D) Send them your bank details to verify your identity. Answer: C — Legitimate jobs pay you for work done. Any platform or group that demands money upfront to unlock 'jobs' or 'training portals' is almost certainly a scam. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 9: Pricing Your AI Work and Avoiding Scams 7 minutes read UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE OF SPEED When you use AI tools effectively, you can complete tasks in 30 minutes that used to take someone 4 hours. This creates a pricing trap for many beginners. If you charge by the hour, you end up earning less money because you worked faster! To price your work fairly, switch from charging per hour to charging per project or per deliverable. The client is paying for the completed work and its quality, not for how many hours you sat at a desk. SETTING FAIR LOCAL PRICES When deciding how much to charge in Cedis (GH₵), Naira (₦), or CFA francs, research what traditional freelancers in your area charge for similar work, then price competitively while maintaining quality. - Social Media Content Package: Instead of charging per hour, charge a flat fee for '10 Instagram posts with captions and hashtags' (e.g., ₦25,000 to ₦50,000 or GH₵ 300 to GH₵ 600 depending on client size). - Document Editing and Formatting: Charge per page or per document (e.g., GH₵ 50 per formal letter draft or business proposal outline). - Monthly Assistant Retainer: Offer small businesses a fixed monthly price (e.g., 15,000 CFA or ₦40,000) for ongoing quick administrative typing, customer reply templates, and weekly updates. [Try this today] Draft a simple price card on a piece of paper or phone app listing 3 fixed-price packages you can offer (Small, Medium, Large). For example: Package A = 3 Social Posts, Package B = 7 Posts + 1 WhatsApp Flyer Text. SPOTTING AI AND FREELANCE SCAMS Because AI is a popular word, fraudsters use it to target people looking for work online. Learning to protect your money and effort is just as important as learning to prompt. Common red flags to watch out for: - Pay-to-Work Schemes: Any company claiming you must pay ₦5,000 or GH₵ 100 for 'software licensing' or 'account verification' before starting work. - Unrealistically High Pay: Claims like 'Earn $500 a day typing simple prompts with no experience needed.' Real clients pay reasonable market rates. - Requests for Confidential Info: Clients who ask for your bank card PIN, passwords, or personal identity numbers before sending an agreement. - Refusal to pay milestone deposits: For larger projects with new clients, always request a small upfront deposit (e.g., 30% to 50%) before delivering completed work. [Protecting Your Work Before Final Payment] When delivering completed work to a new client who has not paid in full yet, send a low-resolution image, a PDF preview, or a short snippet. Do not send all final editable files until payment is confirmed via mobile money or bank transfer. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Why is project-based pricing usually better than hourly pricing when using AI tools? A) Because AI tools allow you to finish work faster, so hourly pricing would penalize your speed. B) Because clients never agree to pay hourly rates under any circumstances. C) Because project pricing allows you to send blank documents to clients. D) Because hourly pricing is illegal in West Africa. Answer: A — If AI helps you finish a quality document in 20 minutes instead of 3 hours, charging by the hour means you earn less for being efficient. Project pricing rewards your efficiency. 2. Which of the following is a clear warning sign of a job scam? A) The client asks to see samples of your previous work. B) The client asks you to pay a registration fee before giving you tasks. C) The client offers to pay a 40% deposit before you start. D) The client wants to discuss project details over WhatsApp. Answer: B — Legitimate clients never ask job applicants or freelancers to pay money upfront for registration, software fees, or access codes. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 10: AI Ethics and Data Privacy for Small Businesses 8 minutes read WHY ETHICS AND PRIVACY MATTER When using free AI assistants on your phone or computer, it is easy to forget that these systems are managed by global tech companies. Everything you type into a free public AI chat tool can be stored, reviewed, or used to train future versions of the AI model. If you are working with clients, handling customer details, or creating content for local businesses, keeping data private and avoiding false information is critical for maintaining trust. PROTECTING CLIENT CONFIDENTIALITY Confidentiality means keeping your client's private information safe from public view. Never paste sensitive details into a public AI prompt. Examples of sensitive data you must NEVER enter into public AI tools: - Personal Details: Full names paired with phone numbers, home addresses, or national ID numbers (e.g., Ghana Card, NIN). - Financial Information: Customer bank account numbers, mobile money PINs, transaction records, or shop profit figures. - Private Business Secrets: Secret food recipes, unreleased product designs, or private legal disputes. [Anonymize Before You Prompt] If you need AI to help format a business receipt or write a client contract, remove real names, phone numbers, and amounts first. Use placeholder words like 'Client X' and 'Amount Y'. Insert the real private details manually after you copy the text back onto your device. AI 'HALLUCINATIONS' AND FACT-CHECKING AI models do not 'know' facts the way humans do; they predict words based on patterns. Sometimes, an AI will confidently invent fake laws, incorrect historical dates, wrong currency exchange rates, or non-existent address locations in cities like Accra, Kumasi, or Lagos. This is called 'hallucination.' If you send text containing AI-generated mistakes to a client or post it on social media, your reputation will suffer. Always double-check names, phone numbers, addresses, rates, and legal statements with trusted local sources or official websites. RESPECTING COPYRIGHT AND HONESTY Be honest with yourself and your clients about how you use AI. Do not copy an existing local artist's artwork and ask an AI generator to clone it exactly. Use AI as a tool to inspire and assist, not to steal other people's creative work. [Try this today] Take a real text message containing personal details (like a payment receipt line) and practice 'anonymizing' it on paper. Replace the real name with '[Name]' and bank number with '[Account Number]' before drafting a prompt. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Why should you remove real customer phone numbers and bank details before pasting text into a free AI tool? A) Because the AI will automatically send text messages to those numbers. B) Because public AI tools store input data, which could leak private client information. C) Because AI assistants refuse to read numbers higher than ten. D) Because typing numbers uses up 10 times more mobile data. Answer: B — Public AI platforms use inputs to train their systems. Pasting private customer details compromises data privacy and breaches client trust. 2. What is an AI 'hallucination'? A) When an AI assistant produces images instead of text. B) When an AI assistant confidently generates false information or fake facts. C) When your phone battery drains quickly while using AI apps. D) When an AI tool translates text from French to English. Answer: B — AI hallucination occurs when the model outputs convincing but completely false or invented information. You must always fact-check AI outputs. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 11: Build Your Professional Profile 10 min read OBJECTIVE: Set up a simple, honest professional presence online so employers and customers can find and trust you. Before someone hires you or buys from you, they often look you up. A professional profile is simply a clean, honest page that answers three questions: who are you, what can you do, and how can someone reach you? You do not need to be famous or have a computer. A phone and one good photo are enough to start. START WITH WHAT IS FREE - WhatsApp Business — free app. Add your trade, working hours, location and a short catalogue of your work or services. Many customers in West Africa will find you here first. - Google Business Profile — free. If you have a shop, workshop or stall, this puts you on Google Maps so people nearby can find you. - LinkedIn (free Basic account) — useful if you want office, NGO or company work. Add a clear photo, your trade or skill, and two or three lines about what you have done. - Local job and trade groups — Facebook and WhatsApp groups for your town or trade are where many real opportunities are shared first. You do not need all four on day one. Pick the one where your customers or employers actually are. A tailor or caterer may get more from WhatsApp Business and local groups; an IT support learner may need LinkedIn first. Add the others over time. WHAT MAKES A PROFILE TRUSTWORTHY - A real photo of you — face visible, plain background, neat clothing. No sunglasses, no filters. - Your real name, written the same way everywhere. - One honest sentence about what you do: 'I install and repair solar home systems in Hohoe.' - Proof: photos of finished work, a certificate, or a short quote from a happy customer. - A phone number or WhatsApp link that actually works. [Protect yourself] Never pay anyone who promises to 'verify' your profile or guarantee you a job for a fee. Real platforms like LinkedIn, WhatsApp Business and Google Business Profile are free to set up. Anyone asking for money to list you is likely a scammer. [Try this today] Write your one honest sentence — who you are and what you do — and save it in your notes. You will reuse it in every profile, CV and introduction from now on. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. Which of these is free to set up and puts your workshop on Google Maps? A) A paid business directory B) Google Business Profile C) A printed flyer D) A website you pay a developer for Answer: B — Google Business Profile is free and places your business on Google Maps and Search, so people nearby can find you. You only need a phone and your business details. 2. What is the most important quality of a professional profile photo? A) It was taken by a professional photographer B) It uses an attractive filter C) Your face is clearly visible and you look neat D) It shows you with expensive items Answer: C — Employers and customers want to see a real, trustworthy person. A clear, neat photo with a plain background builds more trust than any filter or expensive backdrop. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 12: Write Your Goals and Plan for Obstacles 10 min read OBJECTIVE: Turn a wish into a written goal, review it weekly, and use if-then plans to handle the obstacles that usually stop you. A goal that stays in your head is a wish. A goal written down, with a date and a next step, is a plan. Research on how people actually change their behaviour keeps finding the same thing: people who write their goals down, check them regularly, and decide in advance what to do when things go wrong are far more likely to finish what they start. WRITE IT DOWN, THE PRACTICAL WAY - One goal at a time. 'Finish the solar course by 30 November' beats five vague wishes. - Make it checkable. You should be able to say 'done' or 'not done' — not 'I tried my best'. - Give it a date. A goal without a date quietly becomes 'someday'. - Write the very next small step. Not 'get a job' but 'message two hardware shops on Saturday morning'. - Keep it where you will see it — a notebook, a note on your phone, or paper on the wall. THE WEEKLY REVIEW — 15 MINUTES THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING Pick one fixed moment each week — Sunday evening works well for many people. Ask yourself three questions: What did I finish this week? What got in my way? What is my next step for the coming week? Write the answers down. This small habit catches problems while they are still small, and it reminds you that you are moving, even when progress feels slow. IF-THEN PLANS: DECIDE BEFORE THE OBSTACLE ARRIVES Most plans fail at the same predictable moments: the data bundle runs out, a friend invites you out on study night, rain cancels the job you planned. An if-then plan is a decision you make now, so a hard moment does not require willpower later. The format is simple: 'IF [obstacle happens], THEN I will [specific action].' - IF my data finishes, THEN I will study from my downloaded offline lessons instead. - IF it rains on the day I planned to visit shops, THEN I will call them instead and visit the next day. - IF I feel too tired to study at night, THEN I will do just 10 minutes — starting is the hard part. - IF a customer delays payment, THEN I will send one polite reminder after three days, not argue. [A note on visualisation] Imagining your goal can help — but picture the steps, not just the reward. Instead of only dreaming about the certificate on your wall, picture yourself opening the lesson, answering the quiz, and messaging the customer. Picturing the process prepares you; picturing only the prize can actually relax you into doing nothing. [Try this today] Write one goal with a date, then write two if-then plans for the obstacles most likely to stop you. Keep them somewhere you will see this week. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. What makes a goal 'checkable'? A) It is written in English B) You can clearly say whether it is done or not done C) Other people approve of it D) It is ambitious enough to impress people Answer: B — A checkable goal has a clear finish line: 'finish 8 lessons by Friday' can be marked done or not done. 'Do my best' cannot — and vague goals are easy to quietly abandon. 2. Your study night arrives and your data bundle has run out. What does a good if-then plan do? A) It forces you to buy more data immediately B) It tells you to skip studying until next week C) It gives you a decision you made in advance, like switching to your downloaded offline lessons D) It punishes you for not planning better Answer: C — An if-then plan removes the need for willpower in the moment: you decided earlier that IF data runs out, THEN you study offline. The decision is already made, so you just follow it. ---------------------------------------- You and Artificial Intelligence — Lesson 13: Introduce Yourself in 30 Seconds 8 min read OBJECTIVE: Prepare and practise a short, confident self-introduction you can use with employers, customers and new contacts. Many capable people miss opportunities because they freeze when someone asks 'So, what do you do?' A self-introduction is a short, prepared answer — about 30 seconds — that you have practised until it feels natural. It is not showing off. It is simply making it easy for people to understand how you can help them. THE THREE-PART SCRIPT - Who you are: your name and your trade or skill. 'My name is Amina. I am a trained pharmacy assistant.' - What you can do: one or two concrete things, with proof if you have it. 'I have completed training in dispensing support and stock management, and I helped in a busy pharmacy for three months.' - What you are looking for: say it clearly. 'I am looking for a position in a pharmacy or clinic in this area.' or 'I take catering orders for events of up to 100 people.' Put together, it sounds like this: 'Good morning, my name is Kofi. I am a solar technician — I have finished certified training in home solar installation, and I have already installed systems for three families in this town. I am looking for more customers, and I also do repairs and maintenance. Here is my number.' Thirty seconds, and the listener knows exactly what you offer. MAKE IT YOURS - Adjust the ending for the listener: a customer hears what you sell; an employer hears what job you want; a contact hears how they can help you. - Practise out loud, not in your head — say it to a friend, a mirror, or your phone's voice recorder, five times. - Keep it honest. A small true claim beats a big exaggerated one that falls apart at the first question. - End with a way to reach you: your number, your WhatsApp, or where your shop is. [For shy learners] Feeling nervous is normal and does not mean you are bad at this. Preparation is the cure: a practised script means you never have to invent sentences while nervous. Start by using it in low-pressure moments — with a neighbour, then a shopkeeper — before the big interview or the important customer. [Try this today] Write your three-part introduction in your notes, then say it out loud three times. Use it once this week with a real person. PRACTICE QUESTIONS 1. What are the three parts of a good 30-second introduction? A) Your family background, your education, your hobbies B) Who you are, what you can do, what you are looking for C) Your salary expectation, your location, your age D) Your problems, your needs, your complaints Answer: B — The script answers the three questions every listener has: who is this person, what can they do for me, and what do they want? Keep it short, honest and practised. 2. What is the best way to prepare your introduction? A) Memorise a long speech about your whole life B) Wait for inspiration in the moment C) Practise a short script out loud several times before you need it D) Copy someone else's introduction word for word Answer: C — Saying it out loud — to a friend, mirror or voice recorder — is what makes it feel natural under pressure. A short, honest, practised script beats both improvisation and a long memorised speech. ---------------------------------------- Get the full app: https://miva-skillsnav.lovable.app