ZIMBABWE COMMEMORATES AND CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL GIRLS IN ICT DAY 2015

Thousands converged at St James High School in Matabeleland North as Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world in celebrating Girls in ICT Day under the theme “Girls, Women and Innovation”. The event which was organized by the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) and telecommunications service providers was attended by more than 950 students from different schools in Matabeleland North province. International Girls in ICT Day is an initiative backed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) member states of which Zimbabwe is a paid up member. The day is meant to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider careers in ICT.

As part of the celebrations the Zimbabwe ICT sector organised a workshop aimed at inspiring young women and girls to consider studies and careers in the ICT Sector ciating all the necessary requirements to embark on the studies and careers. Speaking at the event, the guest of honour, a former Miss Zimbabwe, Mrs Lorraine Maphala-Phiri, encouraged girls to break forth and beat the stereotyping that they can not achieve harder tasks like their male counterpart and celebrate their own success.

Schools, through the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education were sent a question in advance to prepare a write up on “How ICTs can help lives of women and girls in rural Zimbabwe, offering their home-grown solutions”. The top ten competition winners were awarded with brand new Hewlett-Packard (HP) laptops.

It is hoped that the exposure that the girls got from this platform at Girls in ICT Day, focusing on girls, women and innovation, will unlock some hidden talents and knowledge that will in turn result in more girls taking up professions in the ICT sector and other starting their own innovative ICT businesses and projects. The girls in ICT commemorations are held annually on a provincial rotational basis nationwide, Last year Zimbabwe commemorated the day in Mashonaland West Province and in 2013, in Manicaland Province.

Testimonies from girls who participated in previous celebrations have continued to pour in through POTRAZ.