Introduction:
The Women Techsters Initiative Fellowship is a 12-month intensive technology skills learning program for African girls and women. Tech4Dev provides the Fellowship as an initiative to close the digital gender gap in Africa.
It offers a unique and impressive capacity building opportunity for young girls and women. It equips them with important tech skills. These include digital literacy, online safety, cybersecurity and other essential skills needed to succeed in the technology sector.
It is essential to explore the relevance of this initiative in addressing the gender gap in Africa’s tech industry. And indeed, what are the related science, technology and innovation policy issues in Africa.
Girls in ICT Day:
The Girls in ICT Day is a global initiative aimed at creating a global environment for girls in ICT. It aims to empower and encourage girls and young women to consider ICT careers.
The Women Techsters Initiative Fellowship certainly aligns with this initiative. It’s simple. It does so by providing affordable, equitable, and inclusive education to African girls and women. This is despite archaic and outdated practices holding women back in society. Accordingly, this initiative is about enabling girls and women to access, use, lead, and design technology.
This initiative therefore helps to break down the negative stereotypes about girls in STEM and promote gender equality in the tech industry.
Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Issues in Africa:
Africa’s potential is huge. But realizing that potential is a different matter. Africa basically struggles to catch up with the rest of the world in science, technology and innovation. The continent still lags behind in terms of access to technology, infrastructure, and digital skills. Critically it is still unable to use science, technology and innovation to improve the living conditions of its people. Despite different projects and implementations all over Africa, it still lacks the capacity to build capacity.
Furthermore, there is a gender gap in Africa’s tech industry, with fewer women occupying leadership positions and participating meaningfully in the sector. The Women Techsters Initiative Fellowship is certainly a bold and worthy attempt to address these issues. It without doubt, aims to provide African girls and women with the necessary digital skills, mentorship, and training, bridging the gender gap in Africa’s tech industry.
Call for Applications:
The Women Techsters Initiative Fellowship organized by Tech4Dev is currently accepting applications for the Class of 2024. The application is open to African girls and women (ages 16 – 40) across 22 African Countries. The fellowship offers a tuition-free 12-month intensive technology skills learning program across eight learning tracks, including software development, mobile development, blockchain, product design, data science and AI, product management, cybersecurity, and 3D animation & mixed reality (AR & VR).
It is an incredible opportunity for African girls and women to acquire essential digital skills and launch their careers in the tech industry.
Conclusion:
The Women Techsters Initiative Fellowship can be a game-changer for Africa’s tech industry. It addresses the disturbing gender gap in the sector by providing African girls and women with the necessary digital skills, mentorship, and training. The initiative also aligns with the global Girls in ICT Day initiative by promoting gender equality and breaking down the negative stereotypes about girls in STEM.
It, however, requires encouragement, awareness, support and follow-through not lipservice.
Indeed, it is crucial for policymakers to support and invest in similar initiatives to bridge the digital divide in Africa and create an equal digital future.
If you are an African girl or woman with a passion for technology, don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to apply for the Women Techsters Initiative Fellowship Class of 2024.
Register and get more details here: https://bit.ly/WTFellowship24
Author: Jide Awe
Science, Technology and Innovation policy advisor.
Find him on Twitter @jidaw