Tigo's Corporate Social Responsibility initiative in collaboration with Apps and Girls, a local non-government organisation has been nominated as the top five 2023 WSIS Prize champions globally under the e-employment category.
Tigo's Chief Regulatory Officer, Ms Sylvia Balwire said, "Over a period of more than three years we have been able to financially and technically support the Girls and Young Women Empowerment project, impacting more than 14,965 girls and women.
In addition, the project has enabled over 270 unemployed and out of school girls and young women to access skills including advanced IT and entrepreneurship for them to create tech driven projects, establish their tech ventures and obtain formal employment in the ICT sector,"
The nomination and recognition were bestowed to the Jovia Programme under the Girls and Young Women Empowerment project addressing the digital gender divide by providing ICT & entrepreneurship training and startup incubation for underprivileged girls and young women in Tanzania.
The WSIS Prizes 2023 represent exceptional international recognition of WSIS stakeholders as winners and champions for their excellence in supporting the implementation of WSIS outcomes, WSIS Action Lines and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The fact that the Girls and Young Women Empowerment initiative was nominated among the WSIS best ICT projects, attests to Tigo's support to communities especially its ambition to further digital inclusion in Tanzania.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The Apps and Girls Founder and CEO, Carolyne Ekyarisiima, said, "As an organisation, we are excited beyond measure to get nominated and recognised as champions globally using technology to facilitate e- employability for young women.
This award means a lot to the girls and young women under the Jovia programme where competent students increase their chances of securing employment opportunities, notably in ICT-related occupations or can create their technology-based startups thus elevating their socio-economic status. We aspire to take home the category prize at the 2023 WSIS Prizes,"
The Jovia Program is a one to six-month programme of advanced IT and entrepreneurship training for unemployed and out of school underprivileged girls and young women.
The programme targets girls and young women who cannot afford higher learning education or drop out of school due to socio-economic reasons.
