Kumasi: The Slamm Foundation, in collaboration with ISC2, has successfully graduated the fourth cohort of its Young Women in Tech (YWIT) programme, marking a significant step towards enhancing female representation in Africa's burgeoning cybersecurity industry and digital economy.
According to Ghana News Agency, twenty-two young women completed a rigorous two-week residential boot camp at Fab Hub Ashanti in Kumasi. They emerged equipped with industry-relevant technical skills, structured mentorship experiences, and pathways to internationally recognized cybersecurity certifications. A statement from Accra highlighted that the programme was designed to be a fully immersive experience, beginning each day at 5:00 a.m. with physical training and team exercises, followed by daily orientations and up to nine hours of cybersecurity instruction.
The curriculum included core security principles, risk management, network security fundamentals, and professional ethics, along with public speaking and career development modules. The training was conducted continuously for 14 days, including weekends. The initiative aims to address the growing talent and gender gap across Africa's digital economy, where women currently account for just 13.5 percent of the cybersecurity workforce on the continent.
Mrs. Francisca Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of Slamm Foundation, emphasized the programme as a significant intervention aimed at addressing long-term structural imbalances in the technology sector. She stated that each cohort represents a strategic investment in Africa's digital resilience, with women being central to the conversation around cybersecurity gaps, national security, economic stability, and the protection of the continent's digital future.
Mrs. Boateng further explained that the boot camp's discipline-centred design is intentional, combining technical competence with character development. The programme aims not only to prepare participants for certification exams but also for roles in boardrooms, policy discussions, and entrepreneurial ventures.
The Foundation is committed to scaling the initiative, with Mrs. Boateng emphasizing that the future of Africa's cybersecurity ecosystem will be shaped by programmes like YWIT. Participants were awarded certificates, and one participant expressed newfound clarity and conviction in her role within the cybersecurity field.