Tech4Girls Academy project graduates 60 scholars
The Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa (HACSA) Foundation has launched its Tech4Girls Academy project with the aim of scaling up its free digital skills training for more girls.
The academy project trains the girls in coding and artificial intelligence (AI).
Tech4Girls Academy project
The launch of the project, which marks a milestone in HACSA’s effort to empower young women with ICT skills, is an initiative to establish a permanent training facility dedicated to equipping young women with critical digital and leadership skills.
The academy will also provide a space where trainees will have adequate mentorship, career development and work experience on hands-on projects in order to thrive in the digital economy.
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The academy will also be used as an innovation and creative hub for the local community.
Alongside the launch of the academy project last Thursday, the graduation ceremony for the third cohort of 60 students of the Tech4Girls programme was held.
Additionally, a fundraising campaign for the project was also launched, inviting donors to support the establishment and long-term sustainability of the academy.
So far, the Tech4Girls programme, an innovative ICT skills development initiative for girls, particularly the underprivileged, has graduated 120 students.
The free training programme is funded with support from philanthropists, individuals and corporate donors. The foundation aims to increase enrolment to 250 students for 2025.
Women empowerment
The Founder and President of HACSA Foundation, Ambassador Johanna Svanikier, in her welcome address, underscored the importance of empowering women through coding and digital training for better jobs, and to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Charles Abani, delivering the keynote address, lauded the initiative, describing it as an inspiring project, which would help bridge the digital gap for the benefit of women.
According to him, such projects and investments remained critical for the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly target eight of SDG five, which focused on enhancing the use of technology empowerment to promote gender equality for job creation and social protection.
Mr Abani was optimistic that HACSA could increase enrolment to 10,000 students in the next few years and assured the foundation of the support and collaboration of the UN system to expand to that level.
The UNESCO Representative in Ghana, Edmond Moukala, for his part, described digital skills as “no longer a luxury but a necessity” to unlock potential for wealth creation, especially in developing countries.
In a statement, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, commended HACSA for the initiative and congratulated the graduates on their achievement, urging them to effectively utilise the skills acquired to support national economic development.
