Microsoft and non-profit social enterprise, Tech4Dev have partnered on an initiative to train girls and women across Africa in coding and deep tech skills, aiming to bridge the digital and technology divide and ensure equal access to opportunities across the continent.
The Women Techsters initiative, which targets females aged between 16 and 40, across Africa, was launched during a virtual roundtable Monday, hosted by Microsoft Philanthropies and Tech4Dev.
The training will focus on technical skills such as software development, product design, product management, data science and AI engineering, and cybersecurity, and would be delivered through a series of simultaneous activities.
Open days, boot camps and masterclasses would serve as a virtual program for girls and women across the continent to learn about leveraging technology for career and business growth.
The programme was developed in such a way, that participants would not only learn and develop deep technical skills but can fill knowledge gaps; learn coding skills and jumpstart their careers.
In her opening remark, Ghada Khalifa, Regional Director- Microsoft Philanthropies MEA said: “When we empower girls and women in the ICT industry through greater access to skills and training, we not only unlock innovation, but also economic opportunities.”
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has cautioned that Africa’s inequality could worsen unless concrete action is taken to bridge the continent’s digital divide.
The Women Techsters fellowship will be a year-long coding program and will make use of standardised learning curriculums across five learning tracks.
The training will be for three months, supported by a six-month internship and enrolment into a mentorship programme.
Microsoft Country Manager for Kenya, Kendi Nderitu, said that while much has been done on the continent to streamline upskilling in STEM areas, more and continuous efforts are required, particularly in industries that are ever-changing.
“The overall objective of Women Techsters is to grow and support a community of tech empowered girls and women across the continent, who will have equal access to decent job opportunities as well as build and scale their ideas into tech-enabled businesses and deep tech start-ups, ultimately aiding overall economic growth,” the Microsoft Country Manager for Kenya said.
On his part, Tech4Dev Executive Director Diwura Oladepo said the initiative aligns with two of the Sustainable Development Goals – to achieve gender equality and decent work and economic growth for women and girls.
Oladepo said: “Partnering with Microsoft made complete sense when it came to seeking a partner and organisation that has continuously reaffirmed its commitment to digitally transforming communities through upskilling and fostering a knowledge economy. Our shared belief that training and empowering young women across Africa will help achieve a male-female ratio balance in the technology space, while providing them with useful skills to build more efficient businesses, or rewarding careers using technology.”
The initiative is part of Microsoft Africa’s Inclusion plan, which targets to skill six million people by the end of 2023.
“Initially, we are launching the initiative in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt and are excited to see how we can live up to our mission of enabling participating girls and women, to do more. We know, that when women are empowered to fully contribute, society benefits overall,” said Kendi.