Technology skills are changing the lives of these girls
To mark International Day of Girls in ICT on April 27, our new film shows how 鶹APP鶹APPs Skills for Their Future programme is helping girls in Tanzania prepare for technology careers
Leonia Paul, a schoolgirl from Tanzania, was excited to take part in a pilot for 鶹APP鶹APPs Skills for Their Future programme in 2021. She wanted to learn information technology skills such as graphic design, databases and coding.
Leonia said at the time: 鶹APPI wish to use these skills to help my society. I want to be good in coding, especially in making websites.鶹APP
Two years on and that programme – run in partnership with – has changed the course of 18-year-old Leonia鶹APPs life. With her heart set on a technology career, she finished school and went on to study for a certificate in computer systems and IT.
Leonia said: “Technology is becoming widespread. It鶹APPs made me have a good CV. My plan is being a good web software developer and a good programmer.鶹APP
To mark International Day of Girls in ICT (information and communications technology) on April 27, 鶹APP visited Leonia and fellow Skills for Their Future graduate Grace Raymond to find out how they鶹APPre progressing.
Watch our film
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The gender divide in many sub-Saharan African countries means too few girls are taking STEM subjects and less than a third of science researchers are women.
鶹APP is helping to narrow the gap through the Skills for Their Future programme, which teaches technology skills and entrepreneurship to girls in several countries. Run in partnership with local organisations like BRAC Maendeleo Tanzania, it helps girls build careers in technology.
Leonia and Grace completed the course at Temeke Secondary School in Dar es Salaam.
After finishing the Skills for Their Future programme, both enrolled in a separate three-month boot camp, where they learned coding, graphics, video editing and entrepreneurship skills. Another programme expanded their skills in web development and technology entrepreneurship.
Grace, 18, said the Skills for Their Future programme helped her 鶹APPso much鶹APP. She added: 鶹APPNow I鶹APPm studying at university to become a database administrator. My family are so, so proud of me.鶹APP
Leonia said at the beginning of the programme she didn鶹APPt even know to open or shut down a computer. She added: 鶹APPBut as the days went by, I got more skilled.
"Leonia does not want to study anything other than technology.鶹APP
Grace Raymond, Skills for Their Future graduate
鶹APPMy family has benefited because my sisters came to me so that I can teach them about computers, because when they are going to university they should have some computer skills.”
Lemmy Lucian, ICT Officer at BRAC Maendeleo Tanzania, said: 鶹APPI feel proud to be part of a team that unlocks changes for the young generation in exploring technology opportunities.鶹APP
Skills for Their Future is made possible by the players of People鶹APPs Postcode Lottery.