Airtel Uganda, through the Airtel Africa Foundation, has launched "Tech For Her", a five-week intensive digital training program aimed at equipping 100 young women across Uganda with in-demand technological skills to thrive in the digital economy.

The initiative, unveiled at a ceremony in Kampala, targets women aged 18 to 35 and will provide training in key areas such as cybersecurity, SQL development, ethical hacking, and data analytics--fields that remain heavily underrepresented by women in Uganda and across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Resty John Ayana, Performance and Total Reward Manager at Airtel Uganda, said the program is designed to help bridge the gender gap in the technology sector by removing systemic barriers that have kept many women out of the digital workforce.

"We gather here with a single purpose: to unlock opportunity. To say to every young woman in Uganda--yes, you belong in tech, and we're here to prove it," Ayana said.

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Currently, women make up only 17% of Uganda's tech workforce, and regionally, only 2% to 8% of software development roles are held by women. Ayana described the disparity as a "rift valley" in need of urgent, intentional action.

The program has received strong backing from the Ministries of Education, Gender, and ICT, which have all endorsed it as part of broader national efforts to build a digitally inclusive Uganda.

"This is what digital inclusion looks like. This is how we walk the talk," Ayana added.

She emphasized that no prior qualifications are needed to apply, encouraging women from all walks of life to seize the opportunity.

"You are not too late. You are not too rural. You are not too much of a mother. You are not too unqualified. You just need to apply," she urged.

Applications for "Tech For Her" are now open via Airtel Uganda's digital platforms. The program is part of Airtel Africa Foundation's continued investment in digital literacy, youth empowerment, and gender equity across the continent.