The
African Development Bank has opened a second Information and Communications
Technology Centre of Excellence at the United States International
University-Africa in Nairobi. This marks a significant milestone for the Bank’s
Coding for Employment program and its growing partnership with higher
education, technical and vocational education and training institutions.
Representatives from Kenya’s Office of the
President joined United States International University-Africa officials and the African Development Bank Group for the opening ceremony.
“This Center of Excellence is just one example
of the Bank’s commitment to supporting the next generation of African leaders,
entrepreneurs, and innovators. By working together to provide young people with
the tools and resources they need to succeed, we are all helping to create a
more prosperous and inclusive future for all,” said Hendrina Doroba, the Bank’s
Division Manager for Education and Skills Development, speaking on behalf of
the Bank’s Director General for Eastern Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo.
“The future will be shaped by technology, and it
is our responsibility to prepare our young people for the challenges that lie
ahead,” she added.
The African Development Bank’s Coding for
Employment program is developing the capacity of African youth by equipping
them with practical 21st century skills, as well as
employability and entrepreneurship skills, to increase their competitiveness in
local and global labor markets. The program is funded through a partnership
between the Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation (https://apo-opa.info/3KhhQfw).
Technical partners Junior Achievement Kenya and
Microsoft joined the Bank and Rockefeller Foundation collaboration to establish
this second center in Kenya. These centers are open to youth aged 15 - 35 who
have enrolled in the Coding for Employment program and do not qualify or
have the means to attend traditional university programs. Coding for Employment
and its partners aim to reach over 1,800 Kenyan youth through the two
centers.
“The United States International
University-Africa is excited to partner with the African Development Bank
in this initiative because it 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,” said the University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor
Margee Ensign.
Ceremony keynote speaker Mukhtar Abdi Ogle, Secretary for
Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya,
encouraged youth to have a growth mindset and join the government in its effort
to upskill the youth with globally competitive digital skills towards decent
and productive employment.
Coding for Employment opened the first Kenyan Center of Excellence at the
University of Nairobi in March 2022. Overall, online and in-person Coding
for Employment programs have reached 152,000 youth across the continent.
