The African Development Bank has reached an important milestone with the opening of a second Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Centre of Excellence at the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi. The inauguration of the centre was attended by dignitaries from Kenya's Office of the President, the African Development Bank Group, and the United States International University-Africa.
The establishment of this second centre marks the African Development Bank's unwavering commitment to nurturing the next generation of African innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders. The bank's Coding for Employment program aims to equip young Africans with practical skills, employability, and entrepreneurship training to enhance their competitiveness in local and global labour markets, making the future more prosperous and inclusive for all.
The program is funded through a partnership between the African Development Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation, with Junior Achievement Kenya and Microsoft serving as technical partners for the establishment of the two centres in Kenya.
These centres are open to young people aged 15 to 35 who have enrolled in the Coding for Employment program and do not qualify or have the means to attend traditional university programs. The University of Nairobi hosted the first centre of excellence in March 2022, while the United States International University-Africa now hosts the second centre.
The centres are equipped with 40 computers, printers, desks, ergonomic office chairs, and a conference room and projectors, providing beneficiaries with an enabling environment to learn and grow. The goal of the Coding for Employment program and its partners is to reach over 1,800 Kenyan youth through the two centres.
In his remarks at the ceremony, John Wali, Executive Director, of Junior Achievement Kenya, noted that "digital skills are a critical factor in making young people more employable in the current economy, and our aim is to teach them to be different and disruptive." Similarly, Professor Margee Ensign, the Vice Chancellor of United States International University-Africa, remarked that "this initiative perfectly aligns with the university's strategic plan that aims to educate our young people for complex global challenges and be the changemakers in Africa."
The program has successfully reached over 152,000 youth across the continent through online and in-person programs.
Article by Beeline Reporter
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