Tanzania: NGO's Course Equips 20 Girls With ICT Skills

TWENTY girls from Temeke Secondary School in Temeke Municipality- Dar es Salaam Region have

completed a one year Information and Communication Technology (ICT) course dubbed 'Skills for their Future' aimed at equipping them for the fourth industrial revolution.

ICT knowledge and skills are considered crucial as the world enters the fourth industrial revolution of artificial intelligence, robotics and the internet of things.

Making the revelation in the city recently, BRAC Maendeleo Project Manager Veronica Kamwela said the programme is targeted for Form Three science students with the goal of equipping them with basic ICT, coding and entrepreneurship knowledge and skills.

The project that is financed by a UK based Non-Governmental Organization- Theirworld, among other things is expected to help the young girls make informed decision in their careers as they study in school.

Ms Kamwela noted that BRAC is an organisation that is committed to providing opportunities especially for women and girls to realise their full potentials.

"At BRAC we implement various development projects aimed at empowering girls and women socially and economically. "We are really pleased that through this project we were able to accomplish our goal of equipping some 20 selected girls with skills and knowledge. We are even more encouraged because the teachers also had the opportunity to learn some basic ICT skills," said Project Manager.

As part of the project last year, BRAC handed over 20 computers to the school and 20 smart tablets all valued at 36m/- to be used by the participating students so that they could also practice, while at home.

Commenting on the course, the organisation's Information and Technology Officer, Mr Lemmy Lucian said it has demonstrated a lot of success, adding they consider extending it to 2023 after the one year period expires.

He said currently, they are redesigning the programme to ensure it reaches many more students in other schools.

A beneficiary of the programme, Halima Bakari who is now in Form Four described how the initiative helped her to acquire ICT knowledge particularly online entrepreneurship and e-learning skills.

"The tablets helped us a lot on the side of studies during the Covid-19 outbreak, when we were forced to go for a break... we are very grateful," said Halima.

The School's Headmistress, Ms Ingia Mtenga thanked BRAC for choosing the school in the pilot study saying: "Through the project our school has secured a computer lab, computers and tablets that will continue being our property and benefit more students. Besides, 18 teachers had an opportunity to also obtain some basic ICT skills."

In a related development, BRAC Maendeleo donated 750 re-usable sanitary pads to girls participating in a two youth empowerment projects named- Goal and ELA in Ilala and Temeke districts in the city.

The initiative is part of the projects to support the girls through 25 adolescent clubs in promoting menstrual hygiene and improving their attendance to enhance the club's activities and schools.

BRAC Maendeleo Tanzania targeting out and in-school girls is currently implementing three projects such as Empowerment and Livelihood for Adolescents (ELA) focusing on youth empowerment.