Eighteen girls have been trained in a project meant to bridge the skills gap for high school graduates and encourage young women to consider careers in ICT.
The training has seen girls drawn from the Nairobi’s Mukuru and Kibera slums trained in programming, computer literacy, enterprise skills and graphics design over a period of year.
According to Akirachix Training project lead Linda Kamau, the project initiators hoped the training can empower more girls and women by teaching them about technology, reported Standard Media.
“We were drawn to these girls from the moving stories we captured during our mobile computer classes in the slums. We discovered that most, if not all, would end their education just after form four since their parents couldn’t afford to support them to the next stage,” said Kamau.
Kamau acknowledged the country has seen a handful of women make an impact in the robust tech scene, but there is a need to get more girls into the sector to continue and expand the trend.
“The other challenge is that we may get too absorbed into these developments that we forget to empower the next generation of technovators to carry the mantle. That is why we need to invest in sound knowledge transfer mechanisms through education, training and mentorship,” added Kamau.
Akirachix has already trained a total of 70 girls including 20 in 2010 when it targeted girls from Dandora and 30 in 2011 with girls from Kawangware, Deep Sea, Mukuru and Kibera.
On top of ICT training the programme also gave the girls training on mentorship and personal support.
Kamau added: “Teaching the girls about computers and building their appreciation of science is one thing, but we cannot achieve much when they have to withdraw from class to attend to personal issues.
“We therefore ensure that we facilitate school attendance with things like bus fare so that they don’t miss class and personal effects for proper hygiene.”
In the coming year the programme hopes to include financial literacy and psychosocial support as it seeks recognition from the Kenya National Examinations Council.
