The Ghana Girls in ICT Trust launched

The Honourable Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has launched the Ghana Girls in ICT Trust, a not-for-profit organization, built on 12 years of lessons learned and experiences in regional activation of ITU’s GIICT day initiative.
Developing training and support systems in all 16 regions, the Trust will deliver a pipeline of more than 9000 young women every year.
According to the Minister, the Trust is created out of ‘the desire of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to offer more girls a more in-depth training, with age appropriate content, and a developmental curriculum’. Speaking at the Climax ceremony of the Greater Accra Region edition of the Girls in ICT Initiative, she added, ‘We thought of the value that global interaction and best practice competitive content would add to their training. We also thought of the difference a long term relationship with a role model working in ICT or STEM could make’.
Designed to take world class best practice training and mentoring to girls between 18 and 22 where they live and go to school the Trust will develop face to face and online training programming offered to young women out of Community ICT labs serving their communities. Specifically, the Trust will be a permanent resource; introducing girls to ICT in primary school, offering certifiable learning/training opportunities in secondary, and providing support and guidance to secure career opportunities in stem in tertiary. It will create a network of girl/woman friendly labs staffed by trained and fully resourced experts offering ICT access, subsidized or free certified training opportunities, and a team of manager trainers. Additionally, we will focus on promoting an enabling environment, working with corporate representatives, community leaders and gate keepers, civil society and education resources to modify the narratives, opportunities, and frameworks to be more supportive of females in STEM.

We anticipate an annual impact of
· 5000 primary level girls (8 –11 years old) annually exposed to ICT and ICT opportunities, also informed about resources available to them via internet
· 3000 secondary level girls (13 –18 years old) annually certified in coding, cyber security, exposed to age-appropriate ICT related skills, and engaged with role models in ICT and STEM ,
· 1000 tertiary level girls (18 and above) annually paired with a mentor, placed in a STEM internship, short-term or full-time position, applying for graduate level programs in STEM, or positions in STEM
· Virtual mentoring platform bringing GIICT graduates and participants together with supportive role models
· Cohort of 32 Master trainers tasked to tour the country to recruit, train, and support staff trainers
· 150 staff trainers annually trained to provide training to girls in schools
· 50 ICT hubs created or upgraded annually to offer female friendly services, support, and guidance

The Minister urged other stakeholders to join partners like USA for Africa, GCB bank, Telecel Foundation, UNDP who were present at the launch, in empowering girls to pursue tech careers, address gender inequality, fuel Ghana’s digital transformation, and promote inclusivity.
She committed that the Trust, would provide complete transparency and accountability, providing regular reports and audits and highly valuing input of all stakeholders. In closing she asked interested parties to reach out to the Trust team to schedule a meeting or request additional information.