Author: Beyonce Diamond Kpogli
On Wednesday 14th, December 2022 China’s leading tech giant Huawei Technologies, a global provider of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, celebrated the graduation of the students participating in this year’s edition of its pioneering training program “Seeds For The Future”.
This year’s edition witnessed 30 outstanding beneficiaries shortlisted from 50 students selected from various universities across the country.
Speaking at the closing ceremony in Accra, the Minister of Communication and Digitalisation Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful said the Seeds for The Future Program has over the years developed a strong talent foundation for Ghana, particularly among young women and the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has played a critical part in this achievement.
Adding that digital adoption and use can also offer women, and girls, in particular, opportunities to overcome hurdles they may face in the physical world.
“Digital access can empower women and girls, help expand their sense of self in the world, increase civic engagement, and raise awareness of their rights. It will also facilitate flexible working hours, enabling women to combine their caregiving roles and careers effectively, working from home with digital platforms.”
According to her, the government considers cybersecurity an important component of the entire digital transformation agenda and has therefore taken deliberate steps to ensure that all are protected.
” As we continue to rely more and more on ICT in all aspects of our lives and the government continues to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure, it is essential that we prioritize cybersecurity and take steps to prevent and manage security threats as a way of protecting our investments. By investing in the development of experts and talents, we can help ensure that our systems and networks are secure and resilient, protecting individuals, businesses, and society”, she started.
Hon Ursula Owusu Ekuful explained that “understanding the role of technology and the opportunities therein and finding a better way to communicate it to our young girls, whiles at the same time showcasing female role models in the field, we stand a better chance of churning out more and more technology-focused young women. This has been our underlying principle and finds expression in our girl-focused initiatives”.
She commended Huawei and other partners for their support of the Seeds for the Future Program and enormous contribution towards the development of Ghana’s ICT ecosystem.
Again, she lauded the girls for the effort and urged them not to shy away from choosing STEM as their lifetime career.
The 8-day intensive training focused on areas such as Digital Power, Cyber Security, AI, 5G, and Cloud Computing among others to equip their requisite digital skills making them relevant and stand out among their peers as they view the world from a different perspective.
This year’s edition of the program also saw the Tech4Good Initiative. The competitive program asks students to identify a social challenge and propose a technical solution for it based on the ICT skills they learn throughout the program.
In his remarks, Tommy Liang, Managing Director, Huawei Ghana noted that the Seeds For The Future ( as an all-girls edition) sought to empower and inspire young women to pursue careers in the male-dominated field of ICT.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to continue to learn, innovate, and strive for excellence. “The world is changing at an incredible pace, and it is up to each and every one of us to keep pace with these changes and embrace the opportunities they bring”.
Some of the beneficiaries received cash prizes, Huawei Tablets, Huawei Smartphone, and Huawei smartwatch that targets improving their quality of life, facilitating their daily activities, and ensuring their personal safety. Using the latest technologies such as IoT, AI, and Cloud Computing.
