UK Group to Train 150 Kwara Women in Digital Technology

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

United Kingdom based organisation, Global Feminism in Solidarity and Action (UK), in partnership with a digital initiative organization in Nigeria, has commenced the orientation programmes for 150 Kwara state women as part of efforts to equip them with 21st century digital skills for self reliance. 

The orientation programmes according to the organisers  for the affected beneficiaries would take  four-month.

The Executive Director of the partnering organisation, Webfala Digital Skills for All Initiative, Mrs. Nafisat Bakare stated this in Ilorin, Kwara state capital  during the orientation session of the programme for the affected beneficiaries.

The programme  was tagged, “Webfala SafeHer Programme.”

According to her, “the training was expected to equip them with digital skills to help them thrive in digital age and be self dependent in their future endeavours. 

Bakare, who said that the programme aimed to inspire more girls and women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), added that it would help contribute to bridging the gender gap in the tech ecosystem in Nigeria.

“The Webfala SafeHer program is designed to provide our selected beneficiaries, who are all females, with a four-month intensive training in either Software Development, Product Design or Data Science.

“This initiative is not just a training programme; it’s a commitment to empowering and equipping our participants with the skills and knowledge to thrive in this digital age”, she said. 

The executive director, who said that the project sought to protect women and girls from Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), “that has become prevalent in our society today”, added that available data showed that 30 per cent of Nigerian women aged 15 to 49 have experienced sexual abuse.