Martha Betty E. Miyandazi, Nairobi Country Chair (Left) and Suraj Shah Africa Programmes Manager Intel
400 women have benefited from the Intel She Will Connect program. The program was a training session conducted at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in Nairobi and targeted women drawn from The League of Kenyan Women Voters
The Intel She Will Connect program was launched in Africa in 2014. In Kenya, the program aims to train 2,000 young women in digital literacy skills by the end of the year through Pasha Centres in a number of counties. It is already live at 35 Pasha Centres in 27 counties.
Commenting at the training, Dr. Mark Matunga, Corporate Affairs Group Manager Intel East Africa said, “Despite women doing 60 percent of the world’s work and producing 50 percent of the world’s food, they only make 10 percent of the world’s income and own 1 percent of the world’s assets. Additionally, women reinvest 90 percent of their income to their communities. At Intel, we believe empowering Kenyan women through improved technology access will in turn spur economic growth for Kenya as a whole. We are aiming to provide skills and resources needed to empower women to get and stay online safely. ”
Intel has collaborated with the Kenya ICT Authority, The Rockefeller Foundation, USAID, Safari Connect and The Youth Banner – a Pasha Business Development Consultant for the ICT Authority to run the program in Kenya. At the end of the training, the women and the girls will have a chance to start their own businesses or be employed.
Speaking at the event, Anne Waiguru, Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning said,” Through the Gender Mainstreaming Pillar in Vision 2030, the government aims to ensure the needs and interest of each gender, including women, men, girls and boys are addressed in all government policies, plans and programmes. As you may be aware, Kenya’s budget preparation process now includes the use of Internet for contribution. The government is also in the process of rolling out the eCitizen programme, which brings government services to the reach of each citizen.”
The Intel She Will Connect program has a goal of reaching 5 million women and reducing the gender gap by 50 percent in the sub-Saharan region.