Tech in Africa
Vodacom launches the new programme #CodeLikeAGirl to build on the historical successes and exploits of women and girls who played a key role in harnessing diversity at the workplace. They have purposed to correct the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM fields, (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), a figure that currently stands at 35%.
In a statement, Steven Barnwell, the MD of Vodacom in KwaZulu Natal pointed out the “significant progress ” achieved in closing the “global gender gap.” He also pointed out the widening gap in STEM careers across South Africa where boys have an upper hand.
As part of Vodacom’s contribution, they have launched a global initiative providing teenage girls across 26 countries with coding training. This includes 14 to 18-year-old girls throughout South Africa. The programme started in Gauteng where 20 girls from Tembisa school were trained on how to code. Now Vodacom in KwaZulu Natal has offered 37 school-going female learners from Phoenix, Umlazi, Wentworth, and Chatsworth a chance to code during their winter holidays at their headquarters at Ridgeside, Umhlanga.
The training
The programme will include week-long training courses where learners are exposed to basic knowledge of computer languages and development programmes such as CSS, HTML, Bootstrap, GitHub, and JavaScript.
— Kwazi Mshengu (@MshenguKwazi) November 12, 2020
