A non-governmental organisation, Webfala Digital Skills for All Initiative (WDSFAI), has partnered with a United Kingdom (UK)-based entity, Global Feminism in Solidarity and Action for a four-month training programme for 150 women in Kwara State.
The programme is aimed at empowering the beneficiaries with 21st century digital skills that will guarantee them self-reliance.
At the unveiling of the programme and orientation session for participants in Ilorin, Kwara State, the executive director of WDSFAI, Nafisat Bakare said the participants would undergo intensive training in either software development, product design or data science.
She said the programme is targeted at inspiring more girls and women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and to also bridge the gender gap in the tech ecosystem in Nigeria.
Bakare added that the project sought to protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), which she said, had become prevalent in the society, noting that “available data showed that 30 per cent of Nigerian women, aged 15 to 49 have experienced sexual abuse.”
On the selection process for beneficiaries of the programme, Bakare disclosed that 637 applications were received during the call for applications, adding that only 312 applicants were shortlisted for interview and screening before 150 applicants were selected for the training.
She said that aside from technical skills, the women would also be taught soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and branding, adding that the combination of the essential soft skills with their technical skills was crucial to their growth in the tech industry.
She called on governments at all levels to make more investments in digital skills education for women and youth towards creating opportunities for them to thrive in this digital world we are in.
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