The size of the global blockchain market is expected to grow from $4.93 billion in 2021 to more than $200 billion by 2028. Yet, for the past four decades, the gender gap in tech has widened, with only one woman in every five people working in the industry today.
To this end, blockchain and crypto platform Binance and non-profit Women in Tech have joined hands to close the said gap. The two organizations are planning to offer more women career opportunities in blockchain.
Now, Binance Charity, the philanthropic arm of Binance, has donated USD 250K to fund a 6-month pilot project to provide blockchain educational courses to 2,800 women from vulnerable communities across Brazil and Africa.
The funds will play an essential role in empowering women with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a Web3 future, with the first courses taking place in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and Cape Town, South Africa, in October, this year.
Providing professional training to the massive career opportunities set to open within the blockchain industry for women is a shared goal of Binance and Women in Tech.
Courses will be offered in classes of 25 to young women aged 15-25 by qualified trainers in person, online, or as a hybrid. The Web3 courses will be designed by Binance Academy and adapted to meet the local context courses will include:
● Blockchain Fundamentals
● Crypto fundamentals
● Decentralization
● Web3 and the Metaverse
A hybrid model of distance and in-person learning will be used, and women can train to pursue a career in blockchain regardless of their existing developer skills.
Classes will be designed for complete beginners and will include skills such as web development, front-end development, full-stack development, and complete with the Blockchain modules.
The Brazil pilot program will take place in Morro dos Prazeres, Rio de Janeiro, for one of the first cohorts of 50 women, over the course of the following five months another 300 women will be signed up for the program countrywide.
The South Africa pilot will take place in Cape Town at the Philippi Village Tech Hub in the Philipp Township for an additional 50 women.
Over the duration of the six months, further programs will be rolled out across Zambia, Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco, Burundi, Kenya, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.
“Binance believes the future of crypto should be built by all, not the few so we’re creating certified courses and removing financial barriers for women, especially those from vulnerable communities to study and train. It is important to us at Binance and Women-in-Tech that quality blockchain education, innovation, and research opportunities are within everyone’s reach,” said Helen Hai, VP of Binance and Head of Binance Charity.
