In honour of women who transform the world in the telecommunications, information and communication technology ecosystem, one of West Africa’s largest independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications services providers – Phase3 Telecom— says it will continue to aggressively offer grant support to programmes and initiatives targeted at advocating, engendering as well as promoting sustainable and active engagement of girls and women in the ICT space.
In addition to its network of over 14 ICT- focused grant recipients, the firm will be collaborating with Django Girls Abuja, a non-profit and community relations organisation that empowers girls and women, to take on full career options in ICTs through free yet resource-based technology and programming workshops.
Phase3’s drive to increase network of ICT- related NGO partnerships rides on its commitment to marking the globally celebrated annual International Girls in ICT Day with CSR programs that are measurable, impact driven, sustainable and have transformational effects on the livelihood of Nigerian youths, especially girls who are often disadvantaged and underrepresented in the socio-economic strata, the firm says in a statement.
The Girls in ICT Initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a global effort designed to raise awareness on empowering and encouraging girls and young women to consider studies in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and lifelong careers in ICTs. To date, over 300,000 girls and young women have taken part in more than 9,000 Girls in ICT Day-based events held in 166 countries around the world, the firm adds. Commemorating the 2018 instalment themed, ‘Expand horizons and Change Attitudes’, Stanley Jegede, chief executive officer, Phase3 Telecom, said early education, digitalised training, developing technology skills for girls and women as well as harnessing those skills promptly were critical to Africa’s rapid socio-economic development and sustainability.
Jegede said one of the key elements of addressing poverty was consistent empowerment of girls and women, stating that there was no better way of doing that than ensuring their sustained representation in the world of ICTs where they could be fully equipped with the essential skills and tools to take advantage of the benefits of a world steered by digital economy.
He maintained that this was the basis for Phase3 Telecom’s commitment to supporting the International Girls in ICT day initiative.
In his commendation of Django Girls on the momentum they continued to gain especially in the area of training girls to build web applications, Jegede stated that he was very optimistic that this global evolution would gain greater influence in Africa as more and more institutions and agencies advocated ICT skills for women on the continent.
He pointed out that young African girls must be encouraged early to see the advantages and dividends of the dynamic and fast-evolving-sector.
