A young Liswati, Thandeka Ginindza, has been selected to join the Women Techsters Bootcamp Cohort 4.1, one of Africa’s most prestigious technology training programmes aimed at equipping young women with advanced digital and programming skills.
Ginindza joins a distinguished group of outstanding women from 30 African countries, chosen after a rigorous selection process for the latest cohort of the initiative.
The programme, which runs across several African nations including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt and South Africa, is designed to bridge the gender gap in the technology industry and empower women to take on leading roles in innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Women Techsters initiative, launched in 2020, is a flagship programme that seeks to empower five million African women with digital and deep tech skills by 2030.
It is part of a broader continental effort to ensure women have equal access to technology-driven opportunities and are prepared for the future of work. The bootcamp will run for three weeks, during which participants will receive intensive training in digital literacy, software development and emerging technologies. They will also engage in soft-skills development sessions focused on leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation.
According to the organisers, the programme’s overarching goal is to produce digitally empowered women capable of transforming their communities.
Over the next decade, the initiative aims to ensure that at least 10% of beneficiaries emerge as entrepreneurs who can create jobs and build sustainable technology-driven businesses.
In addition to skills training, the programme connects participants with a network of over 5 000 mentors across Africa; industry professionals who guide and support the women as they grow their careers and businesses.
Partnerships with more than 150 organisations, the organisers say, will help ensure that beneficiaries gain access to internships, employment and funding opportunities after completing the bootcamp.
“The Women Techsters initiative is committed to closing the digital divide between men and women by equipping African women with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s technology-driven world,” said the organisers in a statement.
“By doing so, we are contributing to the continent’s socio-economic growth and helping to lift more women out of poverty through innovation and entrepreneurship,” they added.
The organisers said they look forward to seeing the transformation that participants like Ginindza will undergo over the coming weeks and the impact they will make in their respective countries.
“Join us in celebrating these women and wishing them a fulfilling and life-changing learning experience,” they wrote in a statement.
