iamtheCODE has partnered with the Equity Group Foundation (EGF) to empower 600,000 learners across Africa with crucial digital and technical skills.
The collaboration will roll out a Digital Academy through the iamtheCODE Program, offering over 65,000 free online upskilling and certification resources. This comprehensive program will combine:
- STEAMD curriculum
- Leadership workshops
- Mentorship opportunities
- Open-source online courses
The program is specifically designed for inclusive access, prioritizing women, girls, and youth, with a strong focus on reaching underserved communities and refugees. This builds on EGF’s legacy programs like Wings to Fly and the Equity Leadership Program, which have already supported over 60,000 young people in their education journeys.
Dr. James Mwangi, Executive Chairman of Equity Group Foundation, highlighted the partnership’s urgency in addressing the gap between traditional education and the future-ready skills demanded by employers, such as AI, coding, data analytics, and data engineering.
“The coming together with iamtheCODE and Equity Group is a huge opportunity for us to enhance and expand our capacity to support young people, not just with education, but also with technical skills. Africa will not take the same path that other continents took. It will leverage and leapfrog on technology, positioning itself to not only catch up but to easily be ahead of the rest of the world in innovation and economic transformation,” said Dr. Mwangi.
He emphasized the power of providing access to 600,000 licenses, which will equip young Africans to “live in Africa but work for the rest of the world” due to the global scarcity of coding skills.
Lady Mariéme Jamme, Founder and CEO of iamtheCODE, echoed this sentiment, stressing the need to immediately upskill Africa’s youth and vulnerable communities.
“We are in emergency mode in Africa right now. We need to make sure that our people are skilled… This partnership with Equity Group represents the spirit of collaboration Africa needs. Together, we will ensure that every girl, no matter where she comes from, can learn, innovate, and lead in the digital economy.”
She also noted the program’s role in restoring dignity and creating pathways to financial independence by enabling individuals to become data clerks, Excel specialists, and cybersecurity professionals.
The program is about more than just technical skills; it also focuses on essential life skills like collaboration, empathy, and teamwork. Furthermore, Equity Group will provide comprehensive support to participants, including:
- Loans for purchasing tools like computers.
- Internships and startup capital for entrepreneurs.
- Connecting graduates to Equity’s vast network of 23 million customers to help small businesses digitize their operations.