By Florence Afriyie Mensah  

Kumasi, June 7, GNA – A new digital skills programme dubbed “DigiVibe” has officially been launched at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi. 

The DigiVibe programme is designed to address gaps in Digital Gap (D-Gap), Exposure Gap (E-Gap), and the Gender Gap (G-Gap). 

It offers up-skilling, mentoring, consultancy services, and job placement opportunities. 

Over the next two years, DigiVibe aims to train 1,000 women in information and communication technology (ICT) and soft skills.  

It would also place 400 into tech jobs and engage at least 45 companies in mentorship and support. 

The initiative has the overall goal of equipping young female graduates with the tools, and support needed to succeed in Ghana’s digital economy. 

DigiVibe is funded by the German Ministry of International Cooperation and Development through sequa and the German Special Initiative for Decent Work. 

The launch event brought together leaders from AFOS Foundation Ghana, Women’s Haven Africa, WERise Network, KNUST E-Learning Centre, representatives from the National Service Authority, universities, and innovation hubs. 

Professor Eric Appau Asante, Director of the KNUST E-Learning Centre, said the Centre was ready to support the DigiVibe programme through its infrastructure and expertise in virtual learning which would help young women to learn skills they could apply in real business settings. 

He observed that women were now more open to technology, explaining that “there was a time when many women saw tech as something only for men. But from what I have seen, women have the patience and interest to go far in the digital space, we need to support that.” 

Ms. Adwoa Fosua Owusu Ofori, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Women’s Haven Africa, explained that closing the gender gap in technology should be the main aim for DigiVibe. 

She pointed out that even though Ghana’s population was made up of women many were still not getting the digital training they needed. 

Ms. Ofori said: “DigiVibe is here to change that, and I am calling on young women to believe in themselves.” 

Technology is for everyone, whether it were artificial intelligence (AI), data science or fintech, she explained. 

Ms. Hanna Schlingman, Project Manager of the AFOS Foundation, said the focus is not just on training but also on building the right mindset, being innovative, resilient, and ready to face challenges. 

She said trainers must endeavor to grow a strong alumni network, support young women into jobs, and build a space where they could learn and become leaders. 

Ms. Eunice Dewi Adjei, a representative from WERise Network, applauded the initiative and said it was a push to help women break into technological spaces where they had been missing over the years. 

GNA 

Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Kenneth Odeng Adade