CyberGirls Fellowship launches 500 female cybersecurity enthusiasts in third cohort

By Stellamaris Ashinze

CyberSafe Foundation on Tuesday said that it had commenced the third cohort of the  annual CyberGirls Fellowship Programme with 500 females from 22 African countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is an initiative of CyberSafe Foundation, a non-profit organisation registered in the U.S., committed to facilitating safe and inclusive access across Africa.

The Executive Director of CyberSafe Foundation, Confidence Staveley, said in a statement that CyberSafe Foundation had kicked off its third annual cohort of the CyberGirls Fellowship Programme.

Staveley said that the programme had admitted 500 female cybersecurity enthusiasts aged between 18 to 28 years old from 22 African countries.

She said that the CyberGirls Fellowship Programme was Africa’s largest female-focused free cybersecurity training and mentorship programme that provided fellows with world-class training and mentorship.

According to her, it enables the participants to develop the skills needed to thrive in the cybersecurity industry.

‘’The third cohort marks another milestone in CyberSafe Foundation’s efforts to close gender diversity and inclusion gap which currently stands at only nine per cent female participation in the cybersecurity workforce.

‘’This year’s cohort was selected from over 20,000 applications received from across Africa, highlighting the growing interest in cybersecurity among African women.

“We are thrilled to launch our third cohort of the CyberGirls Fellowship Programme, which is designed to attract and empower young women across Africa to take on cybersecurity as a profession,’’ she said.

According to her, our Fellowship Programme continues to play a critical role in promoting gender diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity industry.

Staveley expressed the belief that training more women in cybersecurity was not only closing the gender gap in the industry but also contributing to Africa’s digital transformation.

A Board Member of CyberSafe Foundation, Dr Bright Gameli, lauded the initiative, saying that the CyberGirls Fellowship had produced nothing but excellence in the cyber world.

Gameli said that that the programme was possible due to the unwavering commitment of community mentors and the guidance of highly-skilled trainers.

He said that CyberSafe Foundation was committed to driving gender diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity industry by equipping more young women with the skills and knowledge they needed to succeed.

According to her, the organisation has a track record of producing top-tier cybersecurity professionals, connecting talents to job opportunities and contributing to the overall cybersecurity landscape in Africa.

(NAN)