In a significant stride toward bridging the gender divide in Uganda’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, the Airtel Africa Foundation, in collaboration with Airtel Uganda, has officially launched the “Tech For Her” initiative — a transformative five-week digital training program tailored specifically for young women.
This groundbreaking initiative is designed to equip 100 participants with advanced and market-relevant digital skills, including software development, data analysis, cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies that are critical in today’s digital economy.
Speaking at the launch, Resty John Ayana, the Performance and Total Reward Manager at Airtel Uganda, emphasized the urgency and significance of the initiative:
“We gather here with a single purpose to unlock opportunity. To say to every young woman in Uganda: yes, you have an opportunity in tech, and we’re here to prove it.”
Currently, women make up just 17% of Uganda’s tech workforce, and across Sub-Saharan Africa, only 2% to 8% of software development roles are held by women.
Ayana described this underrepresentation not just as a gap but as a “rift valley” , a stark divide that demands intentional action.
“Tech For Her” is designed to provide high-level digital training in areas such as cybersecurity, SQL development, ethical hacking, and data analytics.
The program aims to remove barriers that have traditionally blocked women from entering the digital space, including gender bias, lack of access, and limited training opportunities.
“We live in a world where algorithms influence our day, apps build empires, and data runs economies,” Ayana said. “Yet for many young women, the door to this digital revolution remains jammed shut. This program is your key to unlock that door.”
The initiative has received support from the Ugandan Ministries of Education, Gender, and ICT.
Ayana praised the government for creating an enabling policy environment and reiterated the private sector’s commitment to the national vision of a digitally empowered Uganda.
“To our customers watching online and hearing us on radio this is what digital inclusion looks like,” Ayana declared. “This is how we walk the talk.”
She urged all eligible young women to take advantage of the initiative, emphasizing that no prior qualifications are required to apply.
“You are not too late. You are not too rural. You are not too much of a mother. You are not too unqualified. You just need to apply. If you are a woman between 18 and 35 years, you deserve this. Please tag her, call her, whisper to her ear: ‘This is Tech For Her.’”
Applications for the Tech For Her program are now open, with Airtel Uganda encouraging women across the country to seize this opportunity and become part of Uganda’s digital future.
