- MTN Ghana Foundation partnered with Mobile Web Ghana to celebrate Girls in ICT Day 2024
- Cynthia Mills, Economic Empowerment Advisor at MTN Ghana Foundation, explained the program's goal
- The program has seen success over the past five years
MTN Ghana Foundation partnered with Mobile Web Ghana to celebrate Girls in ICT Day 2024 by empowering 70 young girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
Mentorship Program Ignites Passion
The initiative featured mentors from MTN Ghana, experts in STEM fields, who addressed students from Kwabenya SHS, Islamic JHS & SHS, and Newell’s Academy.
Cynthia Mills, Economic Empowerment Advisor at MTN Ghana Foundation, explained the program’s goal: to spark interest in STEM among young women who often shy away from science and math.
“We want to encourage girls to embrace STEM wholeheartedly,” Ms. Mills said. “Mentors are here to inspire them with their own stories of overcoming challenges in these subjects.”
She highlighted the societal factors affecting girls’ interest in STEM. Girls often lack encouragement to pursue these subjects from a young age and may not have a supportive environment.
“Boys are traditionally given toys that encourage building and taking things apart, while girls receive dolls,” Ms. Mills observed. “This can influence their interest and skill development.”
The program has seen success over the past five years, and Ms. Mills emphasized that they’ll follow up to assess its effectiveness in building confidence and interest in STEM among the participating students.
Addressing the Gender Gap in Tech
Florence Toffa, Director of Mobile Web Ghana, added that research shows many girls lose interest and confidence in math.
Mobile Web Ghana’s role involved reaching out to the participating schools. Ms. Toffa stressed the underrepresentation of girls in ICT and other STEM fields, despite Ghana’s high internet penetration rate.
“It’s crucial to showcase female role models in leadership positions to inspire girls towards STEM careers,” Ms. Toffa urged. “There’s immense untapped potential for girls in STEM and technology. We encourage them to explore these fields regardless of their academic background.”
The event culminated in breakout sessions where students were divided into smaller groups for focused mentorship.
