In a significant boost for women's participation in Ghana's digital economy, 150 women from the Ashanti, Central and Western Regions have successfully acquired digital and coding skills under the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI). The initiative, a collaboration between the Government of Ghana and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), aims to bridge the digital gender gap and equip women with skills to leverage technology for business growth and employability. The graduation ceremony was held in Kumasi, where beneficiaries showcased projects developed during the training.
The programme provides intensive training in areas including computer programming, coding, data analytics, cybersecurity awareness, digital safety, graphic design, website development, and digital marketing. The initiative focuses on women already engaged in vocational activities, entrepreneurship, and tertiary education, providing them with immediately applicable skills to transform their businesses and careers. Administrator of GIFEC, Mr. Sofo Tanko Rashid, explained that the initiative is a strategic shift from the existing Girls-in-ICT programme, which targets young girls at the basic school level.
The training has been life-changing for the beneficiaries, who can now independently design business logos, create simple websites, run targeted advertisements on social media, and use digital tools to manage customer orders and payments. Several women shared their experiences, with one beneficiary stating that she never thought she could write a line of code, but has now built a simple website for her department. The programme has shown her that technology is not just for men.
The beneficiaries have appealed for the programme to be sustained and institutionalised, calling on the government and the Ministry of Education to adopt the African Girls Can Code Initiative into the formal curriculum for vocational and technical institutions. They also suggested that it be organised annually to give more women, especially those in rural and deprived communities, the opportunity to acquire digital skills.
The Acting Municipal Education Director for Kwadaso, Mr. Henaku Budu, commended the government, ITU, and GIFEC for the initiative, describing it as timely and essential. He observed that digital skills have become fundamental in today's world and urged the beneficiaries to serve as digital ambassadors in their communities by mentoring and training other women and girls.
The African Girls Can Code Initiative forms part of broader efforts by the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, and GIFEC to promote digital inclusion and ensure women are not left behind as Ghana transitions towards a digital economy. The programme is being implemented across several African countries under the partnership of ITU, UN Women, and the African Union Commission.
The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has announced plans to scale up the initiative to benefit 500 women next year, following the success of the maiden cohort. The 150 women were presented with certificates of participation and start-up digital toolkits to help them kick-start the application of the skills acquired.
Key points
- The African Girls Can Code Initiative aims to bridge the digital gender gap and equip women with skills to leverage technology for business growth and employability.
- The programme provides intensive training in areas including computer programming, coding, data analytics, and digital marketing.
- GIFEC plans to scale up the initiative to benefit 500 women next year.
