Despite concerted efforts to narrow the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, major inequalities persist. According to UNESCO, women account for a mere 28% of those pursuing STEM careers in Sub-Saharan Africa, below the global average of 30%. Only 23% of tech jobs are held by women in South Africa – out of 236 000 ICT (tech) roles, women occupy 56 000 of them. As a sector, it needs to hire women to improve diversity within the workplace. But we cannot find women with the required skills, and we cannot attract young women to the sector because when they look at conferences, in the media and inside technology companies, they mainly see men in tech! The narrative must change!
The objective of the project “Tech Ladies” is to empower women with specific skills to conduct their businesses online. Within a local community context, many women are entrepreneurs in their own right. Therefore the I-CAN Centre, managed by non-profit Genesis Community IT Initiative, located in Elsies River, has piloted a unique project “Women in ICT” to empower women to digitize their businesses. The project will also address gender opportunities in ICT and eradicating poverty in communities.
Entry – Level Technology Training Project
While the potential of ICT for stimulating economic growth and social development, the benefits are unevenly distributed between and within countries. The implementation of ICT in communities can provide diverse avenues for women’s social, political and economic empowerment. Their livelihoods can be uplifted through expanding access to local and international markets through entrepreneurship. Women in ICT promotes gender equality and gives rise to advocacy and networking. Furthermore, women human rights in the information society needs to be aware of and respond to the specific risks posed by ICT – mediated gender-based violence and human rights violations, including Internet-based trafficking in women.
Digital Entrepreneurship Project
- Train basic computer skills in Word, Excel & PowerPoint
- Use Google Apps to manage emails
- Use Google Apps to create meeting requests
- Create a business card
- Create quotations & invoices online
- Social Media Training
- Intro to Image – Editing
- Intro to video – Editing
- Intro to Blogging
Technology
- Build an online shop through Shopify
- Upload products as photos on the online shop
Entrepreneurship Training Project
We offer the following support and guidance for female entrepreneurs;
- A creative space to work out and discuss every aspect of your business
- More resources and experience than you have when starting out
- The opportunity to develop a network of other entrepreneurs and start-ups to sustain your business in the future.
- Training in Entrepreneurship in all aspects
- Support in researching markets
- Build an online presence with necessary branding
- Understand Financial Management for your business
- Embrace Digital Marketing as a tool of generating revenue
- Develop costing models for demanded products
- Understand business ethics within the marketplace
- Become business compliant to leverage RFQs and Tenders
- Understanding BBBEE Scoring and its impact
- Sign up and Complete Supplier Registration Forms
- Conduct wellness discussion with start-up entrepreneurs
- Support in crafting a vision & mission for the business
Females achieve the following certificate upon completion from global tech NetaCAD Cisco Academy
