Airtel Africa Foundation Moves To Upskill African Women’s Digital Skills

Airtel Africa Foundation has launched its ‘Tech For Her’ Program, targeting young women aged 18-40 years across Kenya, Zambia, and Uganda to equip them with high-demand digital skills, including Linux Administration, Cybersecurity, and Data Analytics, and prepare them to seek tech-related job opportunities across the world.

The five-week intensive online program, to be delivered in partnership with Tertiary DNS, aligns with the Foundation’s mission to empower Africa through Digital Inclusion. Participants will complete over 100 hours of intensive training through a flexible learning model that includes weekend classes for working professionals and weekday sessions for non-working participants.

To be eligible for the training, candidates are required to have basic digital literacy, a minimum education of a national diploma or its equivalent in Science and Technology, or higher qualifications. Graduates of the programme will receive 12 months of continuous skill development support, with top performers achieving scores of 90% or higher qualifying for internship opportunities at Airtel Africa and structured mentorship from technology industry leaders.

Chair of Airtel Africa Foundation, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, said, “Africa’s digital revolution cannot reach its full potential without gender equity. The Tech For Her program helps to level the playing field by providing women with industry-relevant skills, mentorship, and pathways to high-growth tech roles around the world. By investing in Africa’s women, we are investing in sustainable economic transformation. The Foundation will reserve 30% of training participant slots for women in rural and underserved communities, while 40% of training seats will prioritize applicants from low-income households.”

Only 30% of tech professionals in sub-Saharan Africa are women, and women hold just 2-8% of software development roles, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.

Annika Poutiainen, one of the foundation’s committee members, added, “At Airtel Africa, we are actively working to advance women in technology roles, and we are committed to a future where young women can be at the forefront of innovation.  In running this program, Airtel Africa Foundation is creating a pipeline of female tech leaders who will help unlock the vast digital opportunities both at home, in Africa, and further afield.”

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