Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 57 | Page 66

WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL GENDER DIVIDE AND DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS AS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DIGITAL INNOVATION . whereafter the aim is that girls take up careers or further education in STEM .
INDUSTRY WATCH science , maths , engineering , end-user computing , software development and robotics . Integral to the success of the programme is the mentorship offered by e4 personnel and other passionate women in the STEM industry and the assistance given with personal development . The programme will run from Grade 9 until the year after matric ,

WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL GENDER DIVIDE AND DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS AS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DIGITAL INNOVATION . whereafter the aim is that girls take up careers or further education in STEM .

As someone who excels in building value-adding initiatives from the ground up , Mphokane is instrumental in developing e4 ’ s strategy to look at moving girls from school into opportunities that will lead to employment , either within the e4 ecosystem or in other technology organisations . She added : “ We are committed to addressing the digital gender divide and developing the next generation of young women leaders as the driving force behind digital innovation .”
According to Candice Kern-Thomas , Founder and Director , Melisizwe Computer Lab Project , partnerships such as this are imperative to change the status quo . “ With youth unemployment at record highs and black females being the most vulnerable , we have to start investing in the right initiatives that have an actual measurable impact . We need more corporates to invest in the future of the youth , particularly in townships and rural communities , so the cycle of poverty can be alleviated ,” said Kern-Thomas . p
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