The first group of fellows from the African Women Conference (AWC) Women and Girls Digital Tech Hub AI and Data Science program has graduated.
The six-month virtual program, organized in partnership with the Helpline Social Support Initiative (HSSI) and DataCamp Donates USA, was established following proposals reached at the 2024 Africa Women Conference in Zambia, where stakeholders identified the urgent need to bridge the digital divide and create more opportunities for African women and girls in technology and innovation.
During the graduation, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, convener of the African Women's Conference and chair of the Helpline Social Support Initiative, described the event as “a celebration of the courage, resilience and limitless potential of African women and girls in technology.”
Ahmadu congratulated the nine outstanding fellows from Algeria, Tanzania, Senegal, South Africa, Niger, Rwanda, Madagascar, Namibia and Botswana who completed the intensive artificial intelligence and data science program and earned globally recognized certificates from DataCamp.
According to program data presented during the ceremony, approximately 3,500 applications were received from across Africa. After a rigorous selection process, 100 participants were included in the programme, while around 40-50 advanced to the second stage. Ultimately, nine fellows completed the entire program track.
Fellows complete specialized tracks including Associate AI Engineer for Data Science, Associate Data Scientist in Python, Associate Data Analyst in SQL, and Data Analyst in Power BI.
Participants shared inspiring testimonials of how the program enhanced their technical skills, strengthened their confidence, improved their startups and careers, and prepared them to become mentors and innovators within their communities.
Ahmadu commended DataCamp for providing 100 free licenses to support African women in technology, and commended HSSI and the program implementation team for their dedication and flexibility throughout the project.