24 South African Women Qualify for the 2023’s Women Techsters Fellowship Class
Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative (Tech4Dev) in Lagos, Nigeria, has announced that a total of 24 South African women have been accepted for the Women Techsters Fellowship class of 2023.
The Women Techsters program seeks to narrow the gender gap in digital and technological literacy and to ensure that everyone has equal access to opportunities.
Only 24 of the 158 South African applicants who submitted applications for the fellowship were successful in meeting the strict criteria.
A total of 1,466 recipients—or nearly 10% of all applications—were chosen for the fellowship’s Class of 2023 out of a pool of 14,509 applicants from 15 African nations.
The Women Techsters Fellowship is a free program that provides women and young girls between the ages of 16 and 40 with hands-on technology training and upskilling opportunities in 15 African nations.
Out of the 10,912 applicants, 1,167 Nigerian women were accepted into the program. Kenya had 68 beneficiaries, which was the second-highest number, while 48 Ghanaian women were accepted into the program.
32 Ethiopians and 29 Ugandans have been accepted into the program for the fiscal year 2022–2023, while 24 South Africans have also been accepted. Egypt leads with 24, followed by Mozambique (12), Madagascar (12), Tanzania (11) and Algeria (6 each).
The program features four students from Angola, four from Morocco, and three from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
16 recipients from other nations were admitted as well, albeit they were not included in the original list of 15 African nations.
The ladies will receive training in blockchain, mixed reality, and 3D, as well as mobile development, software development, product design, product management, and cybersecurity.
Women Techsters Initiative Lead, Blessing Ashi, stated during the press conference for the announcement that the selection process was stringent because the program only accepts the brightest and most devoted fellows.
“We had three levels of assessments for the beneficiaries during the registration process, and I can certainly claim that we have selected the best based on beneficiaries’ performances across the three stages,” said Ashi.
“I want to congratulate everyone who has progressed thus far, and I believe the knowledge you will gain throughout this learning period will make you stand out among your classmates. I hope you succeed as long as you stick to the plan.
Oladiwura Oladepo, co-founder and executive director of Tech4Dev, urged the program’s beneficiaries to put their all into it.
“Congratulations on being accepted into the fellowship, but I must caution you that now is the time to work hard because success is not always guaranteed without effort. If you remain committed, success is right around the corner despite the long hours and even sleepless nights required, Oladepo assured.
He stated, “Tech4Dev believes that when the call for applications for the next fellowship calendar arrives, it will have not only more candidates from South Africa, but more beneficiaries.” Tech4Dev’s goal is to teach 5 million women throughout Africa by 2030.
Women Techsters Fellowship at Tech4Dev
Launched in 2021, the Women Techsters Fellowship is a 12-month immersion training and experiential learning program for young girls and women in Africa to master deep digital skills through a combination of mentorship, rigorous training for six months, and internships lasting six months.
The Women Techsters Fellowship received more than 4,800 applications in its inaugural year from 19 different nations, and 338 applicants were admitted into the program, representing a 7 percent acceptance rate from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa.
The Women Techsters program seeks to narrow the gender gap in digital and technological literacy and to ensure that everyone has equal access to opportunities.
