Intel has launched the ‘she will connect’ initiative to celebrate the United Nations’ second International Day of the Girl on October 11.
The company also said it has partnered with Kenya’s girl geek group Akirachix to launch a countrywide initiative that will see more Kenyan girls start to develop technology applications. Akirachix will host 2-day free training sessions annaully in Nairobi, Eldoret, Nakuru, Kisumu and Mombasa to help girls learn computer code. The sessions will be limited to 25 girls per class.
Agatha Gikunda, Intel East Africa’s Software and Services Lead said: “Diversity is crucial to succeed in new technologies. We are convinced that technology and education have real power to fuel transformative change and hence the reason Intel is collaborating with other industry players such as Akirachix to see as many girls as possible make a mark in the technology world.”
This launch comes after last week’s global announcement by Intel Corporation on a new program dubbed She Will Connect that commits to expand digital literacy skills to young women in developing countries.
Intel will begin the initiative in Africa, by aiming to reach 5 million women and reduce the gender gap by 50 percent. To achieve this, Intel will work with a diverse set of partners including global and local NGOs and governments.
She Will Connect will test a new model that integrates digital literacy with gender and development programming targeting women and girls, Including online gaming platforms, to innovate the delivery of digital literacy content through an interactive, engaging approach for smartphones and tablets in a game-infused environment; Peer Network, to integrate World Pulse’s digital empowerment training into existing digital literacy programs and connect women to a safe and supportive peer network.
“In a continent where women form a majority of the population and half of the workforce, it is an anomaly that the percentage of women working in technology is less than 15%. Technology is one of the key factors driving Africa’s projected economic rise. As such, we welcome Intel’s partnership as we believe there is enormous potential for maximizing the growth of technology through increasing the number and quality of women in technology within programs that collaborate with like-minded organizations.” said Linda Kamau, Vice-President of Akirachix.