By Vincent Gunde
The UN Women says its project Malawi Girls Can Code Too (MGCC2) has made Malawian girls and young women to be economically empowered through increased digital access and technology adoption in line with the Malawi Implementation Plan (MIP 2063 Enabler).
The project which is being implemented in the three districts of Balaka, Dowa and Mzimba is aimed at reducing the digital gender divide and economically empower girls and young women by 20217 by providing skills IN coding, entrepreneurship, gender and digital literacy.
The project has the specific outcomes of seeing to it that there’s more gender-balanced digital access and technology adoption among rural and urban girls, boys, and young women in Malawi by 2026 in the three districts of Mzimba, Dowa and Balaka.
Presenting the project’s progress report for year 1 and 2 to the District executive committee (Dec) in Dowa, UN Women Programme Consultant Diana Nyirenda, said the project has achieved its project’s key strategic focus areas which are that girls gain coding and digital literacy skills to become ICT professionals and improved access to digital services, gender and entrepreneurship information for professional growth.
Nyirenda said in Year 1 five pilot innovation Hubs were established in Balaka, Dowa and Mzimba enrolling 40 students, 70% girls and 30% boys per targeted school saying in Dowa, Dowa Secondary school, Mvera CDSS and Natola CDSS were targeted, Cohort 1 of the innovation hubs completed.
She said in Year 2 there were five new additional Hubs were established,2 in Dowa at Kambulu CDSS and Senga CDSS, 1 in Mzimba and 2 in Balaka saying Community School management committees were sensitized, 76 Lead Teachers including head teachers were trained as Trainer of Trainers (ToTs) for 406 students enrolled.
The Programme Consultant said the project has targeted and supported a total of five schools in Dowa, 35 teachers inclusive of Head teachers and Division office have received training in ICT skills as Trainer of Trainers (ToTs).
Learner have attained knowledge in coding for example, students at Dowa Secondary school are creating an app that will provide solutions to solve food insecurity in the community. Most girls participating in the innovation hubs have demonstrated interest in pursuing careers in ICT and tech entrepreneurship
“76 teachers have been oriented attained skills on the management of installed gadgets and ICT equipment and branding of innovation hubs in all the 14 targeted schools was completed,” said Nyirenda.
However, Nyirenda said the project is meeting some challenges citing internet issues and ICT team support saying MGCC2 is transforming rural schools and is encouraging girls in technology calling for the need for continuous stakeholder support.
In her remarks, Dowa District Council’s Director of Planning and Development Mercy Mpakule, urged sectore to encourage girls and young women in the district to to participated in such initiatives and attain enroll with the UN Women for digital skills observing that everything nowadays has gone digital.
Mpakule urged partners to support the project so that Dowa young women and girls are economically empowered through increased digital access to become ICT professionals not only for their communities but the country as a whole.
Malawi Girls Can Code TOO (MGCC2) project is funded by the Irish Embassy and is being implemented by UN Women in the three districts of Balaka, Dowa and Mzimba in collaboration with Ministry of Education and Ministry of Genderof Local Government.
