Airtel’s philanthropic division, Airtel Africa Foundation, launched a new program labelled “Tech For Her”, designed to empower young women in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia with the tools to venture and succeed in tech-driven careers.
The initiative is set to help train women through fully online courses over five weeks, equipping them with practical lessons as well as mentorship and opportunities to step into the tech job market.
According to Airtel Africa, the training will have a curriculum that covers three areas, namely Linux Administration, Cybersecurity, and Data Analytics.
This will be delivered through over 100 hours of guided classes. Luckily, the curriculum will also be flexible to ensure it fits those participants with work or school schedules so that they can attend weekend sessions.
To qualify for the program, candidates must have basic computer literacy and hold at least a National Diploma or its equivalent in science, technology or a related subject.
Graduates will get to enjoy up to a full year of ongoing development to deepen their skills. Those with minimum scores of 90% will then earn internships with Airtel Africa with mentorship from leaders in the tech industry.
“Africa’s digital revolution cannot reach its full potential without gender equity. The Tech For Her program helps to level the playing field by providing women with industry-relevant skills, mentorship, and pathways to high-growth tech roles around the world,” states Dr Segun Ogunsanya, Chair of Airtel Africa Foundation.
“In running this program, Airtel Africa Foundation is creating a pipeline of female tech leaders who will help unlock the vast digital opportunities both at home, in Africa, and further afield,” added Annika Poutiainen, a member of the Foundation’s committee.
