Microsoft’s Africa Development Centre (ADC) has launched the Women Inspiring and Nurturing Students (WINS) program for women pursuing technology-related courses at the university.
WINS is a 12-month mentorship initiative for the upliftment of female university students in Kenyan Universities.
WINS will focus on career readiness, tech skills, and leadership development for women and girls in STEM.
The first cohort consists of 70 students having been chosen from various universities, including the University of Nairobi, Kabarak University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, United States International University-Africa, Dedan Kimathi University, Multimedia University, St. Paul’s University, Machakos University, and Zetech University. ADC women mentors will be assigned one female mentee in the university to inspire, mentor and coach.
“Women face numerous obstacles to achieving equal participation in many fields, including the technology industry. There aren’t many young women who pursue technology courses in their tertiary education, and those who do often switch to other courses or drop out along the way. Pairing learners with mentors will be critical to encouraging course completion and opening doors for them as they transition from the classroom to the workplace.” said Catherine Muraga, Microsoft ADC Managing Director.
WINS joins other Microsoft ADC initiatives aimed at growing representation of women in tech, such as campus tours, faculty skilling initiatives, the Game of Learners program, and now ADC WINS, where we are investing time, resources, and expertise to build representation of women in STEM in universities.
“We believe that diversity can drive innovation and progress. The WINS program demonstrates our commitment to making the tech industry more inclusive and equitable. By providing women with the necessary tools and support, we hope to reshape the future of technology. It is linked to our broader diversity and inclusion objectives, whose achievement will demonstrate that we are empowering everyone to do more,” Ms. Muraga added.