Mastercard empowers girls in Nigeria, Kenya to become tomorrow’s technology leaders
Mastercard, a leading digital payment solutions provider, has rolled out its first digital Girls4Tech Connect programme in partnership with Junior Achievers Nigeria, which will also be extended to Kenya as part of Mastercard’s on-going commitment to connecting women in Africa to the possibilities and opportunities that will enable them make a living, follow their passions, and contribute to our collective prosperity.
Launched in 2014, Girls4Tech offers activities and a curriculum built on global science and math standards.
It incorporates Mastercard’s deep expertise in technology and innovation, enabling students to discover a range of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers such as fraud detective, data scientist and software engineer.
Starting as a hands-on, in-person session run by employee volunteers, the programme has expanded to cover topics such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, with enhanced access to its STEM curriculum through a digital learning experience – Girls4Tech Connect – as the COVID-19 pandemic led to a global surge in online learning.
Director, Marketing and Communications, Mastercard Sub-Saharan Africa, Ifeoma Dozie, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the strides that we are making with Girls4Tech Connect, in Sub Sahara Africa.
“The success of the programme in Nigeria and Kenya last year, indicates that there is a strong need for this kind of intervention, where our future female leaders are given the opportunity to be exposed to new STEM career possibilities.”
As part of the programme course work, participants will gain valuable insight on the various STEM career opportunities in areas such as algorithms, digital convergence, and encryption, all of which are buzz words in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Speaking on the partnership, the Executive Director, JA Nigeria, said: “Girl empowerment is extremely important to us at JA Nigeria. In addition to the leadership and development programs we run aimed at empowering the girl child, we believe our girls should be equipped with technology skills and encouraged to pursue careers in STEM.
“Women on average earn 25-40% less than men who do the same job and makeup only about 22% of the Engineering and Technology University graduates each year.
“The combination of women earning less than men and the low rate of women in STEM leaves girls highly disadvantaged. Since it is clear that the future of work is filled with jobs that require digital and technical skills, it is very critical to reach girls at an early age so that they are empowered to have a successful future”.
Girls4Tech has already reached more than 1 million girls in 32 countries. Mastercard has committed to reaching 5 million girls globally by 2025. The award-winning programme is available in 14 languages.
To learn more about Girls4Tech and access the online lessons, please visit Girls4Tech Connect.
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