TRAINING
WITU’s Training program is designed to enhance the lives of smart young girls in these categories;
1. Those that have dropped out of school due to lack of school dues
2. Young women that would like to enhance their business through incorporating use ICT into their business
3. Any woman or girl that is interested in learning more about ICT and become “techie” or “geek” through training programs;
4. Outreach in secondary schools and universities through the Code Girls Movement
Based on the different category needs we offer;
1. Basics of computer applications and computer skills packages
We will take you from what is a computer to writing code in this course. After the basics, depending on the interest of the student, we teach students things such as typing, coding, designing. At the end of a course, the young woman should be able to start a company or we help them find job placement. This is a one year course offered to successful applicants and while a student one will have a chance to learn the needed business/entrepreneurial skills to start a business in Tech.
2. Using ICT to enhance your business
We teach women what ICTs like Mobile phones, computers and the Internet can do to boost their business and enhance their online presence and manage their business. Like;
i. Using ICT to market, monitor and provide better services to customers
ii. Using ICT payment methods
iii. Managing Business accounts using ICT
iv. How to use and benefit FROM using social media for business while taking advantage of the free online tools like Google analytics, Google trader, Google maps, online project management tools among others.
3. Training in Programming and Application development
Students who come to us with a need to learn a particular programming language will be taken under the experienced and skilled wing of our teachers who are ready to take you through basics to practical design and development.
NETWORKING
We are dedicated to building a platform for Ugandan women in Technology to come and share their stories of success in the tech industry, give visibility to the existing prominent Ugandan women in the tech filed and give role models to young girls and for up coming tech women in Uganda to gain voice and share their ideas. We seek to inspire, influence and enhance through this platform.
We have a good number of women in Uganda that are making it successfully in the ICT field but are not heard of or known by many, our purpose here is to bring them out to give them voice and show young women in Uganda that they can make it if fellow women have made it in this field that is male dominated and many women are intimidated thinking there are no women in tech. Through this platform we believe we shall raise the status of the women in technology in Uganda.
We hold a networking meet up every month on the 3rd Friday at different selected Locations though our home is at Hivecolab: a collaborative community owned co-working space for the Tech community in Uganda.
Through collaborative partnerships and alliances, we aim to:
>> Promote and realize the benefits of diversity in the industry to improve the recruitment and retention of women in the IT industry and IT related jobs.
>>Work in an open and collaborative manner to inspire, lead and influence action being taken to increase the number of women in IT.
>>Promote dialogue in the workplace, through the engagement of employers and employees, to fully utilize the IT and management skills of women in the industry. This will include technical and professional knowledge sharing and support.
>>Undertake research and disseminate conclusions regarding the impact of the IT working environment on the careers of women.
>>Raise the profile of women in the industry in partnership with IT, electronics and telecommunications industry employers, suppliers, and the Government
MENTORING
Part of our strategy to increase the number of women in Tech in Uganda is our mentoring program, we bring together prominent women in Technology in Uganda with aspiring women who would like to succeed in Technology through becoming mentors and mentees.We know that many women in Uganda have brilliant business ideas or application ideas that have not been started or developed because of lack of business skills or a mentor or finance or the know how as a woman in technology, thus our idea of a mentoring program.
We call for applications of mentors on an ongoing basis all year round. A WITU mentor should be someone who is well accomplished in the Field of technology. It could be a business owner, a top employee holding a tech position, a teacher, social entrepreneur or a technology enthusiast. We look for experienced and skilled professionals that will offer advise, one on one discussions with their mentees, inspiration and training to a young woman so as to enhance her chances of making it “BIG” in the Technology world in a developing economy. Mentoring can be delivered though physical or E-mentoring depending on location of the two parties and preference.
We usually require the mentoring period to be not less than 12 months after which both can choose to continue or graduate from the process. Mentees can be anyone that shows visible interest in learning more about the tech field, can be a particular aspect or the general field of tech in Uganda. Our mentors do not necessarily have to be working in Uganda or Ugandans, anyone that has an interest in seeing more women join technology, be users and makers of ICTs.
If you fit any of the categories above please contact us
For more on our events, or if you would like to speak at a WITU event, please visit our events page