The ‘future’ is in their hands – but it is in our hands to give them their ‘future’.

Written by: Lana Roy – CEO The Faith Mangope Technology and Leadership Institute

From the corridors in the large Afrika Tikkun Building in Braampark, you could hear the delightful, and electrifying voices of 44 young female learners singing the lyrics TECH, TECH, TECH-NOLOGY……..that was taught to them by 20 students from The Faith Mangope Technology and Leadership Institute for young women (FMTALI). The energy that was in the air was truly creating waves not only from the singing but also from excitement of building their own mechanical robots and learning from young professionals on ways to build robotics. Absolute enthusiasm does not begin to describe the emotions of these young learners – and seeing this in person gave me this urgent and stabbing feeling that it “our responsibility as adult women” to place our hands in theirs and empower them for a future “where girls who dream become Women who do.”

On Friday the 13th of August The Faith Mangope Technology and Leadership Institute for South African youth celebrated their 2nd Birthday. It was a day of celebrations with 44, 6 year- old girl learners from Afrika Tikkun, Uthando ECD Centre, 20 FMTALI students, Alumni, Sponsors and Special Guests. The celebration was about planting the seed into the minds and hearts of these 44 young learners that technology is fun, and that technology is accessible to both males and females.

Faith Mangope a local media celebrity and visionary founded FMTALI and together with Serial Entrepreneur, Lana Roy – launched and opened its doors on the 9th of August 2019. FMTALI’s vision – to build a school and institute for young women who are not able to afford tuition, to attend a 6 month and 1 year programme whereby the institute would educate these young women both in technology and leadership skills.

FMTALI is about developing global, adaptable, digitally savvy, 4IR work ready and self-empowered leaders who will incrementally change and add value to any business, organisation, community, S.A nation and ultimately the African continent.

Although some strides have been made to advance women in tech, more needs to be done. Women currently hold only 19% of tech-related jobs at the top 10 global tech companies, relative to men who hold 81%. In leadership positions at these global tech giants, women make up 28%, with men representing 72%.

FMTALI’s role is to:

  • Address both the skills shortage of women in ICT in South Africa and Africa as well as give young PDI women an opportunity to partake in a programme that addresses the 21st Century Woman and the relevant technical skills needed to be economic contributors in the IT sector of S.A
  • One of the biggest issues with young trainees is their lack of access to a large network which this programme offers. Students are taught, not only by full-time facilitators but also by professionals who are working in the ICT sector.
  • Lack of funding to study at various institutions prevents poverty, stricken men and women the opportunity to further study and improve their skills (if any). This programme offers both free & subsidized education with some of the top facilitators in SA but also the ability to attend the programme through a stipend that they receive.
  • Based on the Harambee report 2020 – there is a strong need for junior ICT staff , with over 48 000 jobs available at this level. Our programme addresses a qualification to move into these roles.
  • These roles include: junior software developer, desktop support technicians and data analyst with fundamentals in cloud computing. In the case of Cloudsmiths – students will be studying towards a Salesforce certification/s. Curriculum still to be discussed.

In June of 2020, FMTALI partnered with Afrika Tikkun Services, headed by Onyi Nwaneri to offer ‘The women in leadership and tech programme’ designed by FMTALI. We are currently on our 6th cohort of young men and women who are looking to change their futures as formidable leaders in the technology space. Currently students are learning the programming language Python. In prior months students were taught various other tech platforms and skill sets. Core to the programme are not only the technical skills but also “soft skills” such as Creativity, critical thinking , complex problem solving, Emotional Intelligence and Human Design, Team Work and Collaboration as well as Communication and Entrepreneurial skil

While South Africa was going through true darkness with the insurrection and looting, the students at FMTALI decided that they wanted to do something uplifting for the community and something that involved upliftment for children. When our second birthday approached, we decided to combine our party and have an edutainment event. The FMTALI students put together the theme of Robotics and began planning the event with the theme in mind. On Friday the 13th, yes, we did an event on Friday the 13th……..we celebrated in style. The young kids were given a Robotics display, my Mpho, The Robotics Inventor, built their own Robots from scratch with cardboard boxes and then spent an hour with Young Engineers headed by Nivashnee Ramparsad building Lego Robotics.

The 44 young girls experienced a morning that we hope for a long time they will not forget. And what would a party be without cake, sweets and lunch sponsored by Ntiyiso Consulting.

We ended the day on a high and achieved our obejective of planting that seed that one day when these young girls get told that “computers and robots” are only for boys ….they will remember their morning with FMTALI and say NO ………..TECH TECH TECH-NOLOGY is for us ALL.

Yes, the future is in the hands of the younger generation, but as the wiser and older generation lets give them a helping hand.