W.TEC’s She Can With ICT Empowers 339 Women in 2021
SHE CAN with ICT (Sustaining Her Enterprise, Career and Network) is a W.TEC initiative in collaboration with Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation, to improve the productivity and profitability of women-owned businesses, by equipping them with in-depth practical digital technology skills and tools to catalyze their entrepreneurial growth in an increasingly technology-driven business environment.
Targeted Beneficiaries for the programme were: aspiring and existing female entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 years,
The major goals of the program is to:
- To equip 300 aspiring or existing female entrepreneurs with technology skills and knowledge to improve their business productivity and profitability.
- Reduce the digital gender gap by increasing the number of women who are comfortable using technology
- Promote sustainable and financial empowerment for female entrepreneurs via their strategic use of technology
The programme proper followed the following chain of events. The In-person training for the SHE CAN WITH ICT commenced on the 6th September, 2021 with the launching of the programme at Impact Center Grammer School, Ojodu Berger. We had the representative of ACT Foundation Mr Ahmed Musa, the Executive coordinator of Aishat Ajoke Afolabi Foundation (AAAF), W.TEC team as well as invited guests at the occasion. The In-person training also commenced in three (3) other centers (Lekki, Surulere and Ajegunle) with 6 sets graduated so far, so far the trainings have been going well and we have had interesting feedbacks from the participants. The online classes also commenced in October, 2021 with 2 cohorts per month, 2 times a week for each cohort (Monday, Tuesdays and Thursday, Fridays). Cohort 3 and 4 for the online classes is ongoing and will end by second week of December.
The programme Conducted 4 graduations so far for the In-person classes and 1 graduation for the online class participants. In addition, we created a Telegram group where participants come together to network and share ideas on how to improve their businesses as well as to follow-up on them
At the end of the programme, a total of 339 participants were trained. During the Cohorts WhatsApp group were created to follow-up and respond to question after the classes in case participants have issues with their projects and to share information. as well Training manuals given to all participants 339.
Through She Can with ICT in 2021 in partnership with the Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation we believe we have equipped 339 women with the skills, knowledge, network and confidence to be technology entrepreneurs or use technology to run effective businesses.
Special thanks to our programme partners, Aishat Ajoke Afolabi Foundation (AAAF), International Women Society (IWS) and the Youth Empowerment Foundation (YEF) who managed our Ojodu, Lekki, Surulere and Ajegunle training centres for the programme respectively. We appreciate their wonderful co-operation and look forward to doing lots of amazing work in the future.
Report prepared by
Maryam Abdulsalam
Programme Manager W.TEC