Dear friends,
We hope that you and your loved ones are all fine and staying safe and healthy.
The uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to adapt to our new realities. We have seen that only the nimble and agile survive in this new climate.
For us at W.TEC, this has necessitated being observant, implementing quickly and learning the lessons we need to as we go along.
Thankfully, our team has pulled together with determination to continue on our journey of nurturing the next generation of female technology creators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
As the pandemic lockdown eases and schools have re-opened, we have been able to run more in-person activities. Notwithstanding, we know that this is not a time to relax on any of the safety protocols.
Please read below to see what we have been up to:
International Girls in ICT Day Hackathon
W.TEC Celebrates International Women’s Day with Webinar
W.TEC Academy Graduation Ceremony in Ogun
W.TEC Launched In-Person MakeHer Spaces
W.TEC Nominated for 2021 WSIS Prizes
a.) International Girls in ICT Day Hackathon
On International Girls in ICT Day, civil society organisations, governments and other stakeholders around the world organise activities to build awareness about the gender digital divide, support technology education and skills training, and encourage more girls and young women to actively pursue careers in STEM.
W.TEC, in partnership with Oracle, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and the Kwara State Ministry of Education organised a virtual hackathon for female students of the W.TEC Academy.
The Kwara State W.TEC Academy currently works with girls in 13 government-owned secondary schools located within Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara state, as well as in the ancient town of Offa. A total of 328 girls are currently enrolled in the Academy, but 28 students were selected to participate in the hackathon.
The event was interspersed with inspirational talks by senior technology and science female professionals, sharing their career journeys and the main activity of the students’ presentation of the databases they had built to the judges and audience. After the rigorous question and answer sessions and an exciting tie between two schools, Basin Staff College was declared the first place winner.
b.) W.TEC Celebrates International Women’s Day with Webinar
W.TEC hosted a virtual panel discussion event to mark the 2021 International Women’s Day. The event’s theme was in line with the 2021 global theme “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”.
This event was part of W.TEC’s MentorHER programme, a mentorship programme for Nigerian female university STEM students, and featured mentors from the programme:
The speakers were: Basia Nasiorowska (Africa Space, AI and Robotics Hub), Dr. Kemi Olurinola (Founder, Exquitec Educational Technology) and Prof. Sherein Saied Abdelgayed (Cairo University), while the moderator was Tarere Eyimina (W.TEC’s Research and Documentation Officer).
During the event the panelists explored how women can successfully balance their lives with work, especially during the pandemic. They also discussed the importance of leadership by women and its impact on encouraging more women to aspire for leadership roles.
c.) W.TEC Academy Graduation Ceremony in Ogun State
After over 7 months of schools being closed across the country, in November 2020, W.TEC was able to resume the W.TEC Academy in Ogun state and graduate 100 female students.
The students who are participants of the W.TEC Academy in Obalaju High School and Yewa College completed a hands-on curriculum covering computer fundamentals, graphic design, electronics and renewable energy.
The final project for students involved building a solar-powered phone charger, rechargeable lamp and a power bank, devices which were inspired by the lack of adequate electricity in the community.
d.) W.TEC Launched In-Person MakeHer Spaces
The MakeHer Space project aims to teach over 1,000 girls to create technology and engineering-based solutions that solve problems in their communities, provide information about career options and exposes them to women working successfully in STEAM.
The pilot, scheduled to start in April 2020, had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually modified to be delivered virtually.
However, as maker spaces are experiential hands-on spaces, we looked forward to the opportunity to run this project in-person as originally intended.
In March 2021, we had the opportunity to launch in-person spaces in Nasarawa state, followed by Abuja and Bauchi. We are excited for the opportunity to expand the MakeHer Space project to more locations over the next few months.
e.) W.TEC Nominated for 2021 WSIS Prizes
W.TEC's MakeHerSpace project was nominated for the 2021 WSIS Prizes 2021 in the 'Capacity Building' category.
We made the shortlist of 360 nominees out of 1,270 projects submitted from all over the world.
The WSIS Prizes contest was developed in response to requests from the WSIS stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate projects and activities that leverage the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development. Since its inception, the contest of WSIS Prizes has attracted more than 300,000 stakeholders.
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After the mostly virtual programmes of 2020, it has been energising to be able to offer some in-person programming this quarter. Despite all the challenges, we are determined to keep innovating and adapting to our new reality, so that we can continue to serve all girls and young women.
Thank you for supporting and sharing our work. Because of you, we have been able to increase our reach and improve the quality of our programming.
Please continue to donate to our work. Also consider becoming a recurring donor and setting-up automatic monthly payments to us. We especially need your support at this time.
Together, we can keep working to build a pipeline that supports girls and women throughout their journeys from early engagement to a career in technology and sciences. We thank you and our girls thank you too.
Warm regards,
Oreoluwa Lesi
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Voice of America “Africa 54” - features W.TEC Exec. Director (Mar 2021)
BBC Africa & Channels TV “Check Me Out” - features W.TEC Exec. Director (Mar 2021)
Photos of W.TEC’s programmes: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wtec/albums
Videos of W.TEC’s programmes: https://www.youtube.com/user/watchwtec
Visit W.TEC website: www.wtec.org.ng
Email W.TEC: info@wtec.org.ng
ABOUT W.TEC & THE W.TEC ACADEMY:
The W.TEC Academy is an after-school technology programme for girls in public secondary schools, designed to inspire girls to pursue computer science careers. The girls go through a year-long computing curriculum, which includes Computer Architecture & Networking, Scratch Programming, Alice Programming and Digital Arts.
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a Nigerian nonprofit organisation committed to building a more inclusive technology ecosystem, with the next generation of women technology creators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
Links:
W.TEC Blazing through a pandemic
Dear friends,
We hope that you and your loved ones are all fine and staying safe and healthy.
The past year has been unique in many ways, living through restrictions of an unprecedented pandemic. We have had to adapt our operations to mostly being online and continuously thrived through it all.
The pandemic limitations have restricted the execution of our programmes and meant that W.TEC has continued to work from home most days. Our programmes continue to be offered online.
Despite challenges, W.TEC has been through. Read below about our most recent activities.
Please read below to see what we have been up to:
a.) Released our 2019 Annual Report
W.TEC released its annual report which documents the different events we engaged in, in the year of 2019. It begins with a message from our Executive Director, Oreoluwa Lesi as she elaborates on the new partnerships formed during the year which led to an expansion in W.TEC’s reach.
A look at 2019 in numbers revealed that W.TEC reached 4,490 people through its programmes and 3,095 people through speaking engagements. The report also looked at each programme held in 2019, including one time programmes like Safer Internet Day which held 3 different events.
Awards and Highlights of the year were also included in the report which ranged from awards to the visit of Sir Tim Berners Lee to W.TEC. We highlighted several of our She Creates Camp Alumnae who are now doing amazing things; Dolapo, Sophiyat and Monsurat.
Our financial statements for 2019 can also be found in this report, as well as information about our Staff, Board, Supporters and Volunteers. A copy of our 2019 Annual Report can be accessed here.
b.) Organised Virtual Mentor Her Programme
In October of 2020, we launched the second cohort of our Mentor Her Programme which will run for 6 months. The Mentor Her programme is aimed at supporting young women studying STEM courses at the tertiary level, sharing important technical tips, which will be instrumental in helping them succeed as technology professionals. This mentoring programme provides a platform for young women to gain first-hand knowledge from experienced women in STEM fields, so they start and navigate their careers in a more informed and strategic manner.
The mentees in this program are all Nigerian while the mentors are from various countries around the world. Mentors and Mentees went through an orientation that would guide the mentoring relationship. Mentees and mentors meet several times in a month to work towards the goals the mentee mapped out at the start of the program. Monthly webinars are also held on varying topics which are intended to enrich the experience. The impact of this program is expected to be life-changing as it often solidifies career choices of mentees.
The first monthly webinar was held on November 2020 and was titled “The Creative Me”: How to Develop the Right Idea for your Professional Development and it was led by a mentor Basia. This session was essential as it taught participants how to set goals.
The second monthly webinar held in December 2020 and was titled Personal Development as a Self-Improvement tool and was led by another mentor Mariam. This topic was very enlightening and suitable for the stage in life the mentees are.
The third monthly webinar was held in January 2021 and was titled Careers in Software Development and led by Mentor, Ommo. This session was very informative and essential to the mentoring process. Three more webinars will be held before the end of the program to further enhance the experience.
c.) Held W.TEC Academy (afterschool clubs) Graduation
The W.TEC Academy came to a close for the term in December 2020 with a 100 hundred girls graduating in two different schools in Ogun State. This iteration of the programme was centred on equipping girls with STEM skills which include Computer Fundamentals, graphic design and electronic and renewable energy.
For their final projects, the girls were taught how to create a solar phone charger, rechargeable lamb and power bank which each girl created. The projects were directed towards solving environmental electricity issues. At the graduation ceremony, one of the beneficiaries, Rokibat , shared her experience and how she can recreate all she learnt.
The W.TEC Girls Academy is an after-school technology programme for girls in public secondary schools, designed to inspire girls to pursue computer science careers.
This programme is designed to complement the existing computer science curriculum in the schools, which tends to focus more on theoretical knowledge than practical experience.
d.) 16 Days of Activism Campaign
In November 2020, W.TEC took part in the annual ’16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women’ virtually due to the pandemic restrictions. The event spanned 3 weeks from November 25th to December 10th. The first week was for techniques for girls to “staying safe on the internet” while the second week was focused on online threats faced by ladies on the internet during the lockdown. The third week was focused on a conversation on why some girls are getting sexually assaulted by men.
In addition to these weekly themes, a few resources were created to boost W.TEC’s capacity to serve our online female population with techniques and knowledge to staying safe online in the long-run. This is aimed at setting the pace for a sustained public awareness for the online safety for our ladies and girls. The resources include; a resource webpage for staying safe online, a YouTube staying safe online channel and an interactive feedback session designed to observe latest online trends of online attacks on women and girls.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. It was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
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This has certainly been a matchless quarter for us. Despite all the challenges, we are determined to keep innovating and adapting to our new reality, so that we can continue to serve all girls and young women.
Thank you for supporting and sharing our work. Because of you, we have been able to increase our reach and improve the quality of our programming.
Please continue to donate to our work. Also consider becoming a recurring donor and setting-up automatic monthly payments to us. We especially need your support at this time.
Together, we can keep working to build a pipeline that supports girls and women throughout their journeys from early engagement to a career in technology and sciences. We thank you and our girls thank you too.
Warm regards,
Tarere Eyimina
Research & Documentation Officer
*******************
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
ABOUT W.TEC & THE SHE CREATES CAMP:
The She Creates Camp is an initiative designed to help Nigerian secondary schoolgirls develop an early interest in computer science, information technology and related careers. The She Creates Camp helps to intervene early, combat stereotypes and tackle the digital gender divide. We teach girls to create digital content, create software and develop skills that use information and communication technologies. Our two-week immersion programme empowers girls to contribute meaningfully to the digital economy and improve their economic opportunities.
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a Nigerian nonprofit organisation committed to building a more inclusive technology ecosystem, with the next generation of women technology creators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
Links:
Dear friends,
We hope that you and your loved ones are all fine and staying safe and healthy.
This year has been one of continuous adaptation and change. We have not been able to implement any of our programmes in the ways that we planned. However with flexibility, perseverance and good humour, we have been able to roll with the punches.
The pandemic lockdowns were gradually eased over the last few months, but physical distancing restrictions and safety caps on the sizes of physical meetings has meant that W.TEC has continued to work from home and our programmes have continued to be offered online.
Notwithstanding, W.TEC organised the first virtual W.TEC Academy. Read below on this programme and our other activities.
Please read below to see what we have been up to:
W.TEC recognised as a WSIS 2020 Champion
Organised the 1st virtual She Creates Next Camp
Moved the W.TEC Academy (afterschool clubs) online
Completed the Virtual Maker Space pilot phase
Instituted our Girl Advisory Council
Published Gender & Technology factsheets and infographs
a.) Recognised as a WSIS 2020 Champion
W.TEC is pleased to have been selected as a 2020 WSIS Champion in Category 3 (Access to Information and Knowledge).
The WSIS Prizes contest was developed in response to requests from the WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate projects and activities that leverage the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition of the WSIS Forum went completely virtual.
W.TEC was recognised as a Champion for our work giving Nigerian girls and women the skills, knowledge and opportunity to participate equitably in the information and digital society.
This years WSIS Champions had the opportunity to give messages of appreciation and share stories from their work during a special interactive session organised with the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Mr. Houlin Zhao.
W.TEC’s Executive Director, Ms. Oreoluwa Lesi thanked WSIS for their recognition of our work and highlighted key facts about the gender gap in technology, which emphasises the big work that still needs to be done to improve women’s ability to participate in and contribute effectively to the global information society.
Photos from the session can be viewed here: https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2020/Agenda/Session/372
The video recording of the session can be viewed here (Oreoluwa Lesi’s remarks start from 19:58): https://web.facebook.com/WSISprocess/videos/319907055899370
b.) Organised the 1st virtual She Creates Next Camp
W.TEC’s flagship programme is the annual residential She Creates Camp. It provides a high quality and exciting environment where girls learn to create useful technologies for everyday living. As a result of the pandemic, W.TEC has decided to convert this to a virtual camp this year.
Our first virtual camp for girls tagged She Creates Next has come and gone. Over the 4 weeks, the participants learnt mobile apps design, video editing, python programming and Website design.
According to a participant who built a website for herself during the class indicated that with her new skills she can build a website for her blog and possibly establish her own website development company.
Upon completion of the programme, the camp was rounded-off with an online graduation ceremony with participants in attendance alongside their parents. During the programme, the Executive Director Mrs Oreoluwa Lesi in her welcome address highlighted the innovative edge of the virtual camp to the participants and their parents.
The online ceremony featured presentations by participants on all what they have learnt during the camp. Parents also shared heartwarming impact stories of the children. According to one of the parents: “The camp has made my daughter have a good advantage in both learning and the possibility to making money with her new skills. I will surely recommend the camp to everyone’’.
Although we missed the face-to-face aspect of our camp, the online format provided the opportunity for participants from across the world to join in the camp.
Learn more about the 2020 She Creates Camp: https://wtec.org.ng/more-about-she-creates-2020/ and read the press release: https://wtec.org.ng/w-tec-holds-her-first-virtual-camp-for-girls-she-creates-next-camp/
c.) Moved the W.TEC Academy (afterschool clubs) online
The W.TEC Academy made a big comeback with a series of new online classes. The W.TEC Academy is an afterschool technology club for girls currently held in select secondary schools across Kwara and Ogun States. The programme, sponsored by Oracle and the Dr. Abi A. Afonja Trust, had 500 girls enrolled for its weekly classes before the outbreak of the pandemic.
When the Academy resumed online, it was with unfortunately the much lower number of 27 due to limited access to the Internet and Internet-enabled devices.
The session started with a revision of the last term’s work, before moving onto Graphic Design with Canva and Web Design with HTML
The Academy was organised on the Zoom platform, supported by WhatsApp groups.
Read more: https://wtec.org.ng/the-return-of-w-tec-academy/
d.) Completed the Virtual Maker Space pilot phase
In June, W.TEC launched a new programme called the MakeHer Space, modelled on traditional maker spaces. While this was planned as a hands–on programme, we had to re-design it to be delivered online. Through the twice-weekly online sessions, the young women learned to create technology and engineering-based solutions to solve problems in their communities.
The re-imagined virtual MakerHer Space featured a rich curriculum that included Website Development, 3D Design and Modelling, Problem-Solving and Market Research.
Trying to re-create a maker space online was not without it challenges. Some of the challenges experienced included:
Poor Internet connection and power supply – an unstable internet connection or lack of electricity discouraged some of the students to attend online learning sessions.
Different interfaces of the apps being learnt on the students’ different devices and operating software. This made it difficult to develop uniform learning content and screenshots for the girls.
Some students joining class late or some students are shy to speak up
The challenges notwithstanding, the MakerHer Space welcomed students from across the African continent.
You can also learn more about the MakerHer Space project here: https://wtec.org.ng/make-her-space/
e.) Instituted our Girl Advisory Council
W.TEC was so pleased to institute the pioneer set of the newly-inaugurated Girl Advisory Council.
The W.TEC Girls Advisory Council comprises of a group of select girls (alumnae of W.TEC programmes) nominated to work as an advisory group to partner with W.TEC staff members on activities ranging from programme development to research and publicity.
The GAC members will also have the opportunity to make recommendations to and share their ideas with W.TEC’s Board of Trustees and Advisory Board members. By facilitating youth-adult partnership, these leadership opportunities allow GAC members to influence decision-making processes in the organisation. This represents another step towards ensuring that W.TEC’s leadership team is representative of the target beneficiaries of our programmes. By having our beneficiaries represented, we look forward to designing programmes that better meet their needs.
The inaugural Council is made-up of 7 W.TEC alumnae, who have attended the She Creates Camp over the years since 2008.
Read more about our Girl Advisory Council: https://wtec.org.ng/meet-our-new-girls-advisory-council/
f.) W.TEC Published Gender & Technology Factsheets and Infographs
In August, W.TEC published two factsheets and articles:
1. “The Girls & Tech Factsheet” Infographic Sheet and Findings Article (2020)
2. “The Women & Tech Factsheet” Infographic Sheet and Findings Article (2020)
The factsheets and articles explain why we need more girls in Technology and related fields. Multiple studies and reports highlight the under-representation of women and girls working in and studying STEM subjects.
These factsheets pulled together key statistics on the national and global level. It is challenging finding data for Nigeria and by researching and publishing these figures, W.TEC is proud to make a much-needed contribution to shining a light on the depth of the STEM gap in Nigeria.
Download the factsheets here: https://wtec.org.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/The-Tech-Woman-and-Work-4.pdf and https://wtec.org.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Girls-Technology-7-1.pdf
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This has certainly been a most unexpected quarter for us. Despite all the challenges, we are determined to keep innovating and adapting to our new reality, so that we can continue to serve all girls and young women.
Thank you for supporting and sharing our work. Because of you, we have been able to increase our reach and improve the quality of our programming.
Please continue to donate to our work. Also consider becoming a recurring donor and setting-up automatic monthly payments to us. We especially need your support at this time.
Together, we can keep working to build a pipeline that supports girls and women throughout their journeys from early engagement to a career in technology and sciences. We thank you and our girls thank you too.
Warm regards,
Oreoluwa Lesi
*******************
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
TechCabal ‘Women in Tech’ Report – features W.TEC: https://techcabal.com/reports/nigerian-women-in-tech-report/
Photos of W.TEC’s programmes: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wtec/albums
Videos of W.TEC’s programmes: https://www.youtube.com/user/watchwtec
Visit W.TEC website: www.wtec.org.ng
Email W.TEC: info@wtec.org.ng
ABOUT W.TEC & THE W.TEC ACADEMY:
The W.TEC Academy is an after-school technology programme for girls in public secondary schools, designed to inspire girls to pursue computer science careers. The girls go through a year-long computing curriculum, which includes Computer Architecture & Networking, Scratch Programming, Alice Programming and Digital Arts.
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a Nigerian nonprofit organisation committed to building a more inclusive technology ecosystem, with the next generation of women technology creators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
Links:
Dear friends,
Let me start this off by saying that I hope you and your loved ones are all fine and staying safe and healthy.
After an incredible 2019 and a fast start off the blocks in January, 2020 has turned out to be completely different from what any of us could have imagined.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a landmark occurrence and turned life around for us all. Some of us may have lost loved ones and, on behalf of the W.TEC Board, Management and Team, I extend my condolences.
In Nigeria, many states have been under a lockdown on physical movement since the last week of March.
For us at W.TEC, we transited into working online from home. At the same time, we have had to re-design as many of our programmes to online programmes. We have also made the difficult decision to suspend some activities that unfortunately cannot be delivered online at the moment.
Please read below to see what we have been up to:
Selected as a WSIS 2020 Champion
Featured on BBC Africa
Preparing for the She Creates Next Camp (a virtual version of our annual residential She Creates Camp)
Developing Virtual Maker Space
Celebrated International Girls in ICT Day
Launched Alumna Network webinar series
Commemorated International Women’s Day
Organised a panel discussion at the 2020 Social Media Week Lagos
a.) Selected as a WSIS 2020 Champion
The WSIS Prizes contest was developed by the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to evaluate projects and activities that leverage the power of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development. Since inception, the contest of WSIS Prizes has attracted hundreds of thousands of stakeholders.
Out of 776 projects submitted by the WSIS Stakeholders’ community and a review of more than 2 million votes cast, W.TEC emerged as one of the five WSIS Champions in Category 3 (Access to information and knowledge).
Later this year, the Champions will be recognized by the WSIS community at the WSIS Prizes 2020 Ceremony slated for Geneva.
Read more: https://twitter.com/WSISprocess/status/1240658480568184832
b.) Featured on BBC Africa
The BBC Africa featured W.TEC's work. It was a great honour to have our work showcased on such a global platform.
W.TEC’s Executive Director, Oreoluwa Lesi, as well as two of our alumnae were featured..
Watch the feature: https://twitter.com/BBCAfrica/status/1256630826617495558?s=19
c.) Preparing for the She Creates Next Camp
W.TEC’s flagship programme is the annual residential She Creates Camp. It provides a high quality and exciting environment where girls learn to create useful technologies for everyday living through programming, mobile application development, graphics designing, film-making and digital animation programming. This helps schoolgirls develop an early interest in computer science, information technology and related careers.
As a result of the pandemic, W.TEC has decided to convert this to a virtual camp this year. Activities will include online classes and other fun activities, such as career talks by speakers from across the world. Although we will miss welcoming the girls to our cosy camp facility, we are excited to explore the prospects that this new platform will bring. We especially look forward to opportunities for deeper global engagement for the girls.
Learn more about the She Creates Camp: https://wtec.org.ng/programme/she-creates-camp/
d.) Developing Virtual Maker Space
We will be launching a new programme called the MakeHer Space, modelled on traditional maker spaces. This is a hands–on programme, designed to equip young womenwith the skills to create technology and engineering-based solutions that will solve problems in their communities. The pilot of the MakerHer Space was scheduled for April, but with Lagos State locked down from the last week of March, we had to postpone it.
Since then, we have re-imagined the MakerHer Space as a “virtual maker space.” In preparation for the new launch, we hosted some test classes online in May. You can learn how these test classes went.
You can also learn more about the MakerHer Space project here: https://wtec.org.ng/make-her-space/
e.) Celebrated International Girls in ICT Day
The International Girls in ICT Day is set-aside every last Thursday of April by the International Telecommunications Union to celebrate and create awareness of the lack of women in technology.
W.TEC celebrated this day with a webinar organised in partnership with COMPSUDEV – Cameroon.
Since all our W.TEC beneficiaries are either engaged in online learning or unable to learn because their schools lack the digital infrastructure for this, the focus of the webinar was:
• Online learning platforms to ensure that their education & learning does not stop during the pandemic
• Strategies to stay motivated when studying online
Our guest speaker was Ms. Pierrette Akumawah Nanga, the Head of ICT at COMPSUDEV in Cameroon. She gave an engaging talk on tools that girls can use to keep learning from home.
W.TEC’s Research and Development Officer, Ms. Tarere Eyimina, talked to the participants about ways to stay motivated when learning online.
Read more about the event: https://wtec.org.ng/wtec-celebrates-girls-in-ict-day-2020/
f.) Launched Alumna Network webinar series
Participants of W.TEC’s programmes graduate into the W.TEC Alumna Network. This network provides ongoing learning and mentoring opportunities, activities such as annual reunions and access to dedicated member-only mailing lists and social media channels, where career and other development information will be disseminated.
Starting from April, we launched the virtual platform for the Alumna Network. Via online channels, our alumna will be engaged regularly by W.TEC to forge a lasting synergy with them and sustain an ongoing engagement with them.
We kicked this off with 2 webinars: a virtual hangout and a webinar on study strategies.
Some of our alumna have volunteered on our programmes, facilitating and assisting in classes and workshops. We look forward to a deeper level of collaboration with them in the future.
Learn more: https://wtec.org.ng/wtecalumnaenetworkengagement/
g.) Commemorated International Women’s Day
We marked the 2020 International Women’s Day with several events in the cities of Offa and Ilorin in Kwara State. These took place in some of our host schools of the W.TEC Academy.
In Ilorin, we organised a panel discussion session at Government Girls Secondary School Oko- Erin in Ilorin, Kwara State. Our Programme Manager, Maryam Abdulsalam and Tolulope Ibiyeye the Coordinator of W.TEC Academy - Kwara anchored the event alongside senior female officials of the school.
The session centered on teaching the girls the main reality of the paths to success which included goal setting, persistence, resilience, hardworking, focus driven and being law abiding.
We organised a second career information event in collaboration with St Claires Girls Grammar School in Offa.
Read more: https://wtec.org.ng/w-tec-marks-2020-2020-international-womens-day/
h.) Organised a panel discussion at the 2020 Social Media Week Lagos
On February 28th, the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre hosted a panel at the annual social media week in Lagos.
The panel tagged “Women Build Technology Too” was comprised of Simi Olusola (Executive Director at Aspilos Foundation), Toyosi Akerele Ogunsiji (Founder of Rise Networks), Kafayat Adeoye (I.T. Support Specialist at Eko-Konnect Research/Education Initiative) and Temilade Adelakun (STEM Advocate and recent Mechanical Engineering graduate of the Univerity of Ibadan). The panel
At the panel, moderator and W.TEC Executive Director, Ms. Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi, presented results of adigital access and habits survey administered at our She Creates Mainland Camp. One of the key findings was that 89.8% of the girls access the internet via a mobile phone.
Learn more about the panel and the report here: https://wtec.org.ng/smw-panel-women-build-technology-too/
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This has certainly been a most unexpected quarter for us. Despite all the challenges, we are determined to keep innovating and adapting to our new reality, so that we can continue to serve all girls and young women.
Thank you for supporting and sharing our work. Because of you, we have been able to increase our reach and improve the quality of our programming.
Please continue to donate to our work. Also consider becoming a recurring donor and setting-up automatic monthly payments to us. We especially need your support at this time.
Together, we can keep working to build a pipeline that supports girls and women throughout their journeys from early engagement to a career in technology and sciences. We thank you and our girls thank you too.
Warm regards,
Oreoluwa Lesi
*******************
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
W.TEC on BBC Africa: https://twitter.com/BBCAfrica/status/1256630826617495558?s=19
W.TEC Selected as WSIS 2020 Champion (Category 3): https://twitter.com/WSISprocess/status/1240658480568184832
TechCabal ‘Women in Tech’ Report – features W.TEC: https://techcabal.com/reports/nigerian-women-in-tech-report/
Photos of W.TEC’s programmes: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wtec/albums
Videos of W.TEC’s programmes: https://www.youtube.com/user/watchwtec
Visit W.TEC website: www.wtec.org.ng
Email W.TEC: info@wtec.org.ng
ABOUT W.TEC & THE SHE CREATES CAMP:
The She Creates Camp is an initiative designed to help Nigerian secondary schoolgirls develop an early interest in computer science, information technology and related careers. The She Creates Camp helps to intervene early, combat stereotypes and tackle the digital gender divide. We teach girls to create digital content, create software and develop skills that use information and communication technologies. Our two-week immersion programme empowers girls to contribute meaningfully to the digital economy and improve their economic opportunities.
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a Nigerian nonprofit organisation committed to building a more inclusive technology ecosystem, with the next generation of women technology creators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
Links:
Dear friends,
Is it too late to say happy new year to you all? Well, better late than never. We hope that your 2020 has started off very well and wish you a year filled with dreams come true.
For us at W.TEC, the last year and decade ended on a high and we look forward to what this new one brings with it.
Over the last quarter and by the end of last year, we experienced the following:
Won the 2019 EQUALS in Tech Award
Were featured in TIME Magazine’s January edition
Celebrated Safer Internet Day at the W.TEC Academy
Kicked off a new project “Digital Generation Youth” in South Africa
Were nominated for the 2020 WSIS Prizes (World Summit on the Information Society)
Participated in 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence
a.) W.TEC wins a 2019 EQUALS in Tech Award
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre – W.TEC was among winners announced at the 2019 EQUALS in Tech Awards held on Wednesday November 27 at a gala awards ceremony at Berlin’s Estrel Conference Center in Germany.
The Skills prize went to the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), an NGO working to enable women and girls to become professionals and entrepreneurs in the tech sector.
The awards, is hosted by the EQUALS Global Partnership, to recognize innovative solutions aimed at closing the digital gender gap. Winning initiatives were chosen from a pool of 15 outstanding finalists from 12 countries. Over 200 organizations submitted entries for this year’s awards, which span five categories: Access, Skills, Tech Leadership, SME Leadership, and Research.
W.TEC is extremely proud to have won this highly competitive and prestigious award and look forward to leveraging on this accolade to do even more to enhance gender diversity in technology.
Read more: https://wtec.org.ng/w-tec-wins-2019-equals-in-tech-awards/
b.) W.TEC was featured in TIME Magazine
W.TEC was featured in the January issue of TIME Magazine. The publication invited Tim Berners-Lee, Madeleine Albright, Michelle Bachelet, and other prominent personalities to write to a young person or people of their own choosing.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web and co-founder of the World Wide Web Foundation opted to write a letter to the girls at the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) in Lagos.
In his letter, he states: When I visited you in Lagos during the 30th birthday of the web, you filled me with hope for the the web’s impact on our world because, as you bring new voices and experiences to the web, you will change it for the better.
The visit of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, to W.TEC in 2019 was part of his global tour to mark the 30th anniversary of the World Wide Web (WWW). The exhibitions and presentations by beneficiaries of STEAM programs by W.TEC, left a lasting impression on Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
We at W.TEC are profoundly inspired by Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s work, thank him for his motivating message and appreciate TIME Magazine for sharing his message with the world.
Read more about the visit and read the letter from Sir Berners-Lee.
c.) Celebrated Safer Internet Day at the W.TEC Academy
Safer Internet Day is a day set aside to create awareness, among young people especially, of ways to use online tools safely. Digital technologies provide a world of possibilities at your fingertips. Yet, the internet also opens up certain risks to its users – especially the most vulnerable ones, such as children: privacy concerns, cyberbullying and disinformation.
Every year since 2017, W.TEC has supported the SID by organizing day-long programmes featuring educational and fun exercises and Staying Safe Online workshops for young people.
In 2020 W.TEC organized a SID event in Kwara State at St. Barnabas Secondary school, Ilorin – Kwara State for students from 13 schools across the state.
The programme was a day-long activity which featured fun exercises on what cyber crimes are all about. The was followed a workshop on Nigerian Internet Laws, enforcement, and staying safe online.
The evnt also featured keynote speaker, Mrs Olabimpe Olani - the Head of the National Library - Ilorin branch.
Read more about the event: https://wtec.org.ng/w-tec-holds-2020-safer-internet-day-in-kwara-state/
d.) Kicked off a new project “Digital Generation Youth” in South Africa
Another highlight of the year so far, has been the launch of the Digital Generation Youth project. This is a 2-year project aimed at developing new content, methods and activities to improve the quality of youth non-formal learning programmes for organisations in Nigeria, South Africa, Lithuania and the Netherlands. All partner organisations are delivering non-formal digital literacy and 21st century education programmes to young peoples.
The DGY project had its kick-off meeting in Port Elizabeth, South Africa with W.TEC Executive Director, Oreoluwa Lesi and Programme Manager, Folashade Braimoh representing the organisation.
A key aspect of the DGY project is the use of Digital Open Badges. Digital Open Badges are ways to recognise learning and experience achieved by completing some set activities. For every organisation we visited in Port Elizabeth, we had the chance to earn a badge by providing evidence of what we had learnt.
Read more: See our playlist of activities for which you can earn badges and read more about the visit to South Africa.
e.) Were nominated for the 2020 WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) Prizes
Early in January, we discovered that we had been nominated for the World Summit on the Information Society Prizes 2020 also known as the WSIS Prizes.
W.TEC was nominated in the 3rd category of the awards (C3: Access to information and knowledge) alongside 19 other amazing initiatives from around the globe. This nomination was a great way to start the year and it was an honour to be listed among the other impactful initiatives.
Read more: See the other finalists
f.) Participated in 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence
In November 2019, W.TEC participated in the 2019 – 16 Days of Activism programme for the Elimination of Violence against Women and girls for the 9th year in a row. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign that kicks off annually on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.
W.TEC supports the movement annually with a series of Staying Safe Online workshops for girls and women in secondary schools and higher institutions.
The workshops were scripted to reflect the 2019 theme of the campaign: “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands against Rape!” W.TEC’s 2019 workshops were held in 3 states across Nigeria for the first time to boost the reach of W.TEC’s campaign:
I.) In Lagos state in partnership with the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) and with speakers from the United States Information Service – Lagos and Project Alert.
2.) In Ogun State at Yewa College, Ilaro.
3.) In Kwara State at Lower Niger Basin Staff College, Ilorin.
Altogether over 140 girls participated in the workshops.
Read more: https://wtec.org.ng/w-tec-holds-2019-16-days-of-activism/
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In all, this has been an uplifting start to the new year and decade.
Thank you for supporting and sharing our work. Because of you, we have been able to increase our reach and improve the quality of our programming.
Please continue to donate to our work. Also consider becoming a recurring donor and setting-up automatic monthly payments to us. And please share our work with others in your network.
Together, we can keep working to build a pipeline that supports girls and women throughout their journeys from early engagement to a career in technology and sciences. We thank you and our girls thank you too.
Warm regards,
Oreoluwa Lesi
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
ABOUT W.TEC & THE W.TEC ACADEMY:
The W.TEC Academy is an after-school technology programme for girls in public secondary schools, designed to inspire girls to pursue computer science careers. The girls go through a year-long computing curriculum, which includes Computer Architecture & Networking, Scratch Programming, Alice Programming and Digital Arts.
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a Nigerian nonprofit organisation committed to building a more inclusive technology ecosystem, with the next generation of women technology creators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
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