eHealth Academy is ready to bridge the gender gap in tech with the launch of a female-only training program

eHealth Africa is a non-governmental organization that was founded in 2009 with a simple goal in mind: to provide access to healthcare to hard-to-reach communities and underserved areas in Africa. To effectively design, implement, manage, and evaluate health projects, the organization employs appropriate technology.

With offices in Kano and Abuja, eHealth Africa has projects in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria. It has offices in the United States and Germany outside of Europe.

The organization established the first eHealth Academy (eHA) in Conakry, Guinea, in 2016. The eHA team created an 8-week software development and network engineering curriculum. Expert instructors taught the courses, bringing software design and development expertise to Guinea.

Juliana Jacob, Senior Communications Associate for eHealth Africa, told Technext that the academy is normally free to all participants in the program, regardless of gender.

“The tailored curriculum was designed to improve the capacity of West African software developers to take over the maintenance of eHA’s surveillance tools and systems after their programs concluded,” she explained.

However, the organization observed a significant gender disparity in the number of enrollees, with far more males than females joining. Unfortunately, the gender gap appears to be growing by the year. This prompted the organization to experiment with a new strategy this year.

24.3% female participants in 2020

There is no doubt that women are underrepresented in the tech industry, and eHEALTH Africa has the statistics to prove it. In 2020, the academy received 1,623 applications from candidates interested in joining.

Following a selection process, 74 of them were chosen to participate, with only 18 (or 24.3 percent) of them being women.

This could indicate that a large proportion of the applicants were male, or that a large proportion of the female applicants did not make it past the selection process. In any case, it represented a problem.

In order to level the playing field, eHealth Africa plans to launch a training program exclusively for women. Juliana Jacob, Senior Communications Associate for eHealth Africa, explained that the initiative was created to help the next generation of tech talent.

She also added that it was an attempt to bridge the gender gap that exists in the tech industry.

We are trying to bridge a gap that exists between men and women in tech.

Juliana Jacob, Senior COmmunications Associate, eHealth Africa.

All participants receive free registration and training

About 50-100 ladies will be given the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of web design, development, and development tools in this cohort. They will also be introduced to HTML and CSS, JavaScript, and HTML&JS: creating interactive webpages.

The eHA Academy application and participation are both free. The program is aimed at women aged 15 to 35, and they must have basic computer knowledge, access to a computer, and a stable internet connection.

The program is a virtual one that will allow participants from all over Nigeria to participate.

We are trying to get participants nationwide and match them with mentors who will be guiding them through the training process.

Juliana Jacob

The Nigerian technology industry is experiencing a reawakening and broadening of interest. Because a program of this nature is bound to draw a large number of applications, all applicants will be required to complete an online assessment. Those who achieve the required minimum score will have their applications reviewed by the admissions committee.

It is not only about being tech-inclined or passionate. We are looking for people who we are sure will add value after the training.

Juliana Jacob

The eHA Academy team is also attempting to accommodate those who may not have access to internet services by making their central hubs in Kano and Abuja offices available to successful applicants.

Students are paired with mentors who must also apply to the academy in order to receive proper training. Mentors must have at least two years of experience working with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The unpaid mentorship position is open to both genders as long as they meet the criteria.

Mentors will be available via Slack to answer students’ questions about module content. Aside from online courses, there are live sessions between mentors and students to allow for real-time learning, feedback, and further assessment of students’ progress.

After the training, we have internship opportunities for them and that’s where the technical partnerships come in. After internships, they have a real chance of securing a job.

Juliana Jacob

As a testament to the success of the training, one of the beneficiaries works with eHealth Africa as a Senior Developer.

Partnerships and funding

The eHA Academy was created out of a sense of corporate social responsibility. It is a free program that is entirely funded by generous donors. The organization has launched a global fundraising campaign in which it has raised approximately $2,000 of its $5,000 goal for this cohort.

It also has the support of tech organizations such as SheCodes, Women Who Code, Startup Kano, AfriLabs, and others. These collaborations benefit applicants because top students will have opportunities to intern at any of the organizations and even advance their careers in the tech industry.

We have had support from implementing partners like SheCodes. Some have brought donations in cash and kind, as in voluntary mentorship. We have also raised a certain amount from global funding. It is all about contributing to the next generation in tech

Juliana Jacos

She also stated that previous cohort beneficiaries have applied to become mentors in the spirit of giving back because they understand the impact the program has had on them.