ITU together with its partners, Cisco, Smart Zambia Institute and Airtel Zambia, joined forces to deliver digital skills training to 150 girls in underprivileged communities across three provinces in Zambia.
The training was delivered under the ITU Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative and rolled out in three cohorts of 50 girls each, taking place in Lusaka Province (27 September – 6 October 2021), Southern Province (10 – 19 November 2021) and Copperbelt Province (1 – 10 December 2021). It is designed to equip the girls with basic and intermediate digital skills, inspire them and make them understand the opportunities and benefits of undertaking technology studies for their future careers.
The training took place in the premises of the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and was specifically tailored for a young audience, with some of the girls that had never used a computer before. The training covered a range of topics starting with the basics of how to use a computer and basics of hardware and software, to the introduction to Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity.
The training was designed to create a path for development for the girls, therefore the top 5 girls of each group will have the opportunity to access more advanced training. Thanks to the partnership with Airtel Zambia, they have already benefitted from mentorship programmes held in Airtel’s premises.
This has been a wonderful experience as we have learnt so much. Inspired by the slogan ‘KAZIpower’ (girl power), we look forward to having more opportunities like this in the near future and hope that many more girls in Zambia will get to experience what we have experienced, emphasized one of the girls after the second training in Livingstone, Southern Province.