The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation in collaboration with Huawei Technologies Ghana has launched the first all-women edition of the company’s global flagship Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, “Seeds for the Future”.
Sixty young women from various universities in the country will benefit from the 2021 programme, which is aimed at developing the ICT skills of the participants, enhancing knowledge transfer, promoting greater understanding of the telecommunications sector, and bridging the communication gap between countries.
The virtual launch was held on Monday, October 25, on the theme: “Inspiring Global Talent to Shape the Future”.
Activities
This year’s Seeds for the Future Programme comprises eight days of intensive virtual training, which will end on November 4, 2021.
It will introduce students to latest courses such as 5G, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, Big Data, IOT, Smart City, Cybersecurity while also building their leadership capacity in courses such as Strategic Leadership and Sustainability and Business Leadership.
Beneficiaries will also get the opportunity to experience the Chinese culture which includes a live interactive visit to the Great Wall and other historic sites.
An ICT mentorship session will also be organised where female industry experts in the STEM field will be invited to share their experience with beneficiaries.
Right direction
At the launch, the Deputy Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ms. Ama Pomaa Boateng, said: “This is a very good time for ladies in ICT, and Huawei, dedicating its Seeds for the Future Programme to the Ministry’s Girls in ICT initiative, is a step in the right direction.”
She said the Ministry would not relent in its efforts to continue to empower women in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) ecosystem.
“The Ministry is very keen on digitalisation, and we believe one of the surest ways to accelerate the process to propel the country into a digital economy is through ICT skills training and capacity building.
“It is, therefore, important that we nurture young ICT talents to give our great nation a more formidable future while remaining competitive on the global market,” she added.
Ambassadors
She also advised the participating women to remain focused during the programme while representing the country as ambassadors.
“My advice to you is to go all out and grasp every bit of this opportunity by fully immersing yourselves in the experience and training as well as taking part in all the activities,” she stated.
Ms. Boateng commended Huawei for its contribution to the development of the country’s ICT sector.
Gender gap
The Managing Director of Huawei Ghana, Mr. Tommy Zhou, emphasised the importance of bridging the gender gap in technology.
“The barriers to women accessing and having careers in the tech industry must be broken down. This needs to start at the grass-roots level, through education and training, giving girls and young women the opportunities and skills to enter the tech world.
“At Huawei, we believe that technology innovation can be led by women, and technology in its end can empower women,” he said.
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Lu Kun, in a short speech, commended Huawei for its social contributions aimed at bridging the digital divide and also commended the government of Ghana’s efforts in creating an enabling and business-friendly environment for Chinese companies such as Huawei to thrive.
