Fifteen year old Asantewaa Fauchie from Sefwi Kofikrom D/A JHS in the Juaboso District has been adjudged winner of the 2021 edition of the Girls-in-ICT program in the Western North Region of Ghana.
For her prize, she receives a cash of 2000 Ghana Cedis; a laptop and a plaque.
She was the best out of a thousand girls. This was disclosed at a ceremony held at the Catholic Pastoral Center today, Wednesday (15th September, 2021).
During the ICT training on Friday, September 10, Asantewaa Fauchie who was elated to be part of the program told the Sector Minister, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful that she had never touched or seen a computer.
“We have not seen a computer before, We were even scared to touch it when we first got to the center”, she said.
“The National Girls-in-ICT initiative has been a major platform that has brought change to my life and that of my colleagues. For the past two weeks, myself and my friends have been taken through an intensive training in Coding which involves Scratch, HTML among others”, she said.
According to her, the program has created the opportunity for many who have not had such. “During the inter- district competitions, I had an interaction with some new friends who indicated that this was their first time seeing computers and touching them.
She expressed gratitude to the Ministry and government for the life changing opportunity.
” I wish to state here and now that, we have been well motivated to take up studies in STEM. We have also accepted the challenge to take over the male dominance in the ICT sector in the not too distant future”, she noted.
Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful made reference to the achievement of women in leadership present at the event and asked the girls to take advantage of opportunities and make the most of it.
“You can do even more than what we have achieved. Many of us never got the opportunity to play, work with the computer as you have done so you have been given something that we have not got. It is your duty to become more illustrious women of Ghana than we are”.
She indicated that there is nothing that a man can do that women cannot do.
“We are indespensable for the development of any country and yet we are severely disadvantaged across all sectors and it is time to take deliberate steps to even the playing field”.
According to her, the girls in ICT program is all about breaking the myth around women involving themselves in ICT.
“It was revealing listening to the winner of the Western North Girls in ICT, a 14year old Asantewaa Fuakye from Kofikrom in the Juaboso District.
The Senior Manager for MTN Ghana, Network Performance, Ms Louisa Ama Sosu who spoke on behalf of the Chief Corporate Services Officer noted that MTN’s participation is an endorsement of the global movement to ensure that female children are not left out of the plethora of future opportunities that access to technology brings.
“Undoubtedly, Government and indeed our sector Minister are extremely passionate about equipping and nurturing young female talents to compete on a global scale, and as such have consistently and significantly over the last 4years invested in this initiative” she said
She indicated that as a business that is committed to women empowerment and equality, we are delighted and proud to partner with the Ministry on this laudable initiative.
The chief of Sefwi Bodi and Adontehene of Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Area, Katakyie Kwasi BumaGama II in a speech read on his behalf said for the world to reap the full benefit of Information Communication Technology, it must be made available to people everywhere.
She was hopeful that girls will find it necessary to acquire new skills in technological communication to be able to compete favourably with their male counterparts.
The Administrator for GIFEC, Mr Prince Sefa urged the girls to perceive the world in the next 50 to 100 years, and see themselves playing a pivotal role in making it a better ICT space.
“This is the beginning of greater heights you can achieve, this is the beginning of your greatness. Do not dim your light. I believe in you, and so should you”, he said.
Efua De- Heer Isabella from the Bibiani Anwhiaso Bekwai came second and received a ₵1,500 cash price; a laptop and a plaque.
Rebecca Yemaal from Juaboso came third and received a cash price of a ₵1000; a laptop and a plaque.
