Over 700 Tanzanians receive training via Microsoft YouthSpark Programme
Arusha, TANZANIA, June 10, 2016 – Today saw the conclusion of Microsoft’s YouthSpark Live Tech Camp week, which comprised of a Train the Trainers for World Vision’s Cycle of Transformation Mentors, a High School Student Employability outreach and the first ever Microsoft DigiGirlz Workshop in Tanzania which enabled the training of over 700 youth and teachers in one week on areas of technology integration in youth employability and entrepreneurship.
The DigiGirlz workshop, hosted at Lush Garden Hotel, Arusha was aimed to reach 250 high school girls and their teachers from Arusha and the surrounding regions. Students from high schools across the city were given the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops and training, inspiring them to pursue careers in technology. The inaugural DigiGirlz event, which formed part of the camp, aimed to introduce girls in Tanzania to the possibilities within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.
DigiGirlz gives high school girls opportunities to learn about careers in technology, connect with Microsoft employees, and participate in hands-on computer and technology workshops.
In addition to the DigiGirlz workshop, the five day YouthSpark Live Tech Camp included sessions for both boys and girls that focused on employability & entrepreneurship. The five-day program hosted training for high school teachers on how to incorporate technology to their everyday curriculum. This workshop gave the teachers learning tools and encouraged them to engage in technology programmes throughout the school year; so that the students can continue to be exposed to information technology advances in the classroom, and most importantly prepare them for higher education.
YouthSpark Live events bring young people together to plan their future. Throughout the event, they identify the skills they need to reach their goals, figure out how technology will accelerate them forward, and get connected to programmes that will help them get ahead. YouthSpark Live focuses on three major goals: employment, careers in tech and careers in entrepreneurship.
Sebuh Haileleul, General Manager, Microsoft East & Southern Africa says “DigiGirlz and YouthSpark Live events seek to inspire young people to pursue careers enabled by technology and connect them to greater opportunities. The world is becoming more dependent on the latest technological innovations and it’s important for Tanzania’s youth to keep up with this trend. Events like these will ultimately allow the youth, and particularly young women, to find out about the variety of opportunities available in the high-tech industry and explore future career paths. DigiGirlz specifically, hopes to set an example for other corporations to pursue avenues of inclusion in the workplace.”
The sessions throughout the event were hosted by a number of MySkills4Afrika volunteers from the USA, Canada and Kenya; who brought to the table a variety of skills sets from across the Microsoft business. These volunteers served as mentors and gave the participating students an inside look at what it’s like to work at Microsoft.
Hon. Stella Manyanya MP, Deputy Minister – Ministry of Science, Technology and Education in Tanzania was happy to learn of so many young girls interested in a career in ICT. “Driving a greater female workforce to these industries is an essential element for developing our economy. The ICT industry remains a male-dominated industry and while I encourage both boys and girls to study STEM subjects and pursue careers in these fields, it is important to increase the number of female participants in these sectors. I have no doubt that these young girls will go on to use the skills gained from the hands-on training and mentorship sessions to pursue careers in technology and create solutions that can solve the problems in our society and contribute to Tanzania’s prosperity”, said Manyanya.
Tim Andrew, the Country Director of World Vision Tanzania said, “Female students taking a math test experience an extra cognitive and emotional burden of worry related to the stereotype that women are not good at math. Stereotype threat is one compelling explanation for why women remain under represented in STEM fields”. He further added, “Students with a fixed mindset are susceptible to a loss of confidence when they encounter challenges, because they believe that if they are truly ‘smart’, things will come easily to them. Students with a growth mindset, on the other hand, show a far greater belief in the power of effort, and in the face of difficulty, their confidence actually grows because they believe they are learning and getting smarter as a result of challenging themselves”. He concluded by saying that this is true for all students, but it is particularly relevant for girls in math and science, where negative stereotypes persist about their abilities. Therefore, a growth mindset benefits girls”.
