The Commission of the African Union through the Ministry of Sports Youth & Culture collaborating with the Eswatini National Youth Council saw two students travel to Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa for a 12-day conference dubbed “African Girls Can Code Initiative”.
Speaking during the press conference, Sizolwethu Maphanga from Nazarene High School beamed with excitement on the opportunities that the AGCCI presented and how mind opening the experience has been. “Computing is too important to be left to men. The African Girls Can Code Initiative aims at bridging the technological divide by providing tangible programmes that will increase our access to modern technology” said Sizolwethu Maphanga.
During the twelve-day conference, the girls were capacitated on digital literacy, coding, personal development skills all of which are drivers to sparking an interest in ICT as an early career choice and allowing the African girls to benefit from the global digital boom. “The skills and information that I have acquired have inspired me on entrepreneurship since my interests are in arts. This program will go a long way in creating market opportunities and career growth not only for myself but also for other Youth of Eswatini since we are the Ambassadors of the African Girls Can Code Initiative” Kholiwe Dlamini from Nyetane High School was quoted saying.
Present and speaking at the press conference was the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture who represented the Principal Secretary, the CEO of Eswatini National Youth Council, the President of ICT Teachers Association, Parents and Teachers of the two students who participated at the AGCCI. The two Emaswati girls formed part of 120 other girls and young women between the ages 18 – 20 years selected from across the African Union member states. Of important note is that learning to code is needed because 90% of future jobs will require ICT skills and numerous jobs new jobs will be created in the computer, mathematical, architecture and engineering fields.
So if the African girls (including our Swazi girls) and women are part of the fast-growing sectors in the future job market, they need to be able to develop the ICT skills needed and the African Girls Can Code Initiative addresses that need.
The Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture concluded by saying that together with Eswatini National Youth Council it will continue to levelling the ground for the Youth of Eswatini to flourish in their talents.
