The
Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), which mainly focuses on empowering
young women and girls, celebrated International Girls in ICT Day yesterday.
The
cerebration brought together sixty girls from twenty senior secondary schools
and was held at the Ndow’s Secondary School hall in Kanifing.
Speaking
at the ceremony, Armisticia Jones, President of YWCA, said the association’s
focus is motivating young Gambian girls and women to work hard for each other.
Madam
Jones added that they also try to inculcate things that will make young women
and girls better leaders in the future.
She
said the day aimed to give young girls knowledge in ICT so that they could vie
for such jobs. She added that they want to encourage young girls and women to
be brave.
“We
want to put confidence in them that what a man can do a woman can do better,”
she noted.
She
urged young girls and women to start joining clubs like kakatongo and other
when camps are held in order to be able to build their own apps.
Lucy
Nicol, YWCA Youth Coordinator, said they have seen that girls are not as into
ICT as boys and that they want to close that gap.
According
to her, to empower girls in ICT is a great thing. She described ICT as a field
where you can reach out to millions of people you’re your own house.
Fatoumata
Sanneh, YWCA member, pointed out that the field was a male dominated one and
that they want balance.
She
said the University of The Gambia and other institutions are training people on
how to become IT technicians and software developers.
According
to her, young girls and women need to be encouraged. She added that, the field
could create employment as well as empower women and girls.
They
are partnering with Smart Technologies to train girls in ICT and urged girls to
utilize the opportunity.
Abigail
Usuf, a student of Gambia Methodist Academy, said she wants to become a web
designer and described the day as important for them all; particularly her.
She
described ICT as very important because, “We are now in a software oriented world
and all people depend on IT”.
