Young Women Gain Digital and Business Management Skills in Nokia-UN Women Program
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In Kayamandi, a township near Stellenbosch in the Western Cape province of South Africa, a skills development programme is a game-changer for young women to improve their employability and entrepreneurial skills. Through a partnership between Nokia, UN Women, Young Women for Life (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference), and Fibertime, 29 unemployed young women now have valuable skills and, more importantly, hope for their future. The week-long program covered digital skills, owning and running a business, workplace readiness, and sales and marketing. It also focused on essential skills such as financial literacy sessions. Additionally, telecoms company Fibertime came on board to provide training on becoming a sales agent.
The participants are members of the Young Women for Life Movement in Kayamandi, an initiative that provides holistic support to young women in the area. This support, built around leadership and socio-economic empowerment, seeks to continue raising the young women's resilience to GBV and HIV. "For our young women, this opportunity means a lot. Many of these young fell through the cracks of the system – they have matric (high school completion), but couldn't continue their studies because of problems at home, early motherhood, and other challenges," said Phindile Maseko, Young Women for Life Coordinator in the Western Cape Province.
Among the participants is 25-year-old Asanda Dangisa, a vibrant young woman whose experiences exemplify the challenges and aspirations of the program's participants. Despite pausing her college studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, Asanda's enthusiasm for learning remains undiminished. "I'm a person who likes to explore new opportunities," she says while juggling the responsibilities of raising her six-year-old and three-year-old children. “I’m glad I got this opportunity and would like to learn more about the skills they taught us because I’d like to grow and develop further as a person. I'm not necessarily a business-minded person, but I am an out-of-the-box thinker, so I am keen to explore some of the opportunities that were presented here,” said Asanda.
For 28-year-old Sinawo Am, who relocated from the Eastern Cape province to Kayamandi seeking better education and economic opportunities, the program offered unexpected personal growth. "The highlight for me was learning to talk in front of people and improve my presentation skills. I am usually a quiet and reserved person but this has boosted my confidence," she says. Despite holding a diploma, Sinawo has struggled to find employment and currently lives with her sister, hoping the program will help her achieve independence.
“We'd like to see young women participating in this digital revolution. In the hands of women, technology will not only change generations but we'll ensure the biases men have don't translate into technology. Nokia will commit to solving this problem because we want to see South Africa's economy succeed, not just led by men but equally by women as well,” said Toni Pellegrino, Managing Director of Nokia South Africa at the graduation of participants from the programme in September.
The initiative has also opened doors to potential employment through Fibertime, an internet service provider in South Africa, which offers internship opportunities to program graduates. The program's impact is creating a safe space for personal development. In just four sessions, participants grew from hesitant newcomers to confident individuals eager to return each week. “We treasure this partnership with Nokia because this initiative sets up our young women for future success in work or business. It truly has the potential to be transformative. We're excited about what will come out of this cohort,” said Jacqueline Utamuriza-Nzisabira, UN Women Regional HIV Specialist for East and Southern Africa.
In a community where opportunities can be scarce, this initiative proves that given the right support and training, young women can transform their lives and, by extension, their communities.