Women's Technology Empowerment Centre

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Women's Technology Empowerment Centre
AbbreviationW.TEC
Formation2008; 16 years ago (2008)
FounderOreoluwa Lesi
PurposeTechnology education for women
Location
Websitewtec.org.ng

The Women's Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a non-profit organization that provides technology education for women and girls in Nigeria.[1][2] W.TEC offers services and programs including mentoring, training, technology camps, awareness campaigns, collaborative projects, and research and publication in order to empower women.[3][4]

History[edit]

Oreoluwa Lesi had noticed a gender gap in the knowledge of Information and communications technology in Nigeria and other African countries. She founded the organization in 2008 in Lagos.[3]

Over the years, W.TEC has extended its scope, reaching over 26,000 participants and expanding into Kwara and Anambra states.[5][6]

In 2017, Facebook partnered with W.TEC to improve Internet safety.[7]

Services[edit]

W.TEC's work includes technology-training programmes for girls through intensive girls-only camps and technology clubs in W.TEC academy.[8] During the camps and after-school clubs, the girls learn to create and innovate with technology by building and making websites, web applications, video games, films, and other digital content.[9] In the words of Adeola Akinyemiju, the Finance Director, W.TEC "is training girls on electronic and digital circuit technologies, web designs to bridge the gender gap in the engineering space."[10][11] The organisation advocates against and works to break down gender stereotypes, especially with respect to careers.[12]

Programmes operated by W.TEC include:

Reception[edit]

In March 2019, Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, visited W.TEC as part of a worldwide tour in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Web.[14][15] During his visit, he spoke about the "Contract for the Web". He later remarked that his audience, largely composed of young girls, had "wonderful energy and creativity".[16] In 2020, Time magazine asked Tim Berners-Lee to write to a young person or group of young people of his own choosing. He chose the girls of W.TEC.[17]

Awards[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Nigeria | History, Population, Flag, Map, Languages, Capital, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  2. ^ Segun-Amao, Bimbola. "CPAfrica interviews Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi of Women's Technology Empowerment Centre". CPAFRICA. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  3. ^ a b Homawoo, Jemima (30 January 2016). "Nigeria's Women's Technology Empowerment Centre". Empowering Women in STEM. Retrieved 16 February 2017. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ Omeruo, Kenneth (2 July 2015). "Women's Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) Nigeria Announces its 8th Girls Technology Camp for August 2015". TechTrendsng. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "26,214 teachers, pupils benefit from STEM programmes". Punch. 8 February 2018. ISSN 0331-2666. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  6. ^ Okafor, Izunna (12 September 2019). "Group organises summer ICT training for girls". National Light. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Facebook rallies partners to unite for a safer, better Internet". BusinessGhana. APO. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  8. ^ "ICT academies promote self-employment - Operators". P.M. News. 25 August 2016. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  9. ^ a b c "Oreoluwa Lesi gave innov8tiv a walk through of how she found Women's Technology Empowerment Center (W.TEC)". Innov8tiv. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  10. ^ Ihuoma, Chidinma (28 August 2019). "NGO trains 50 girls on electronic circuit technologies, web designs". Nigerian Xpress. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  11. ^ "WTEC empowers 50 schoolgirls on technology skills". Punch. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Centre bemoans education career stereotype against girls". The Guardian. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  13. ^ Somolu, Oreoluwa (2013). "Radio for Women's Development: Examining the Relationship between Access and Impact" (PDF). Nokoko. 3. Carleton University: 97–107. ISSN 2369-0240.[page needed]
  14. ^ Ekwealor, Victor (13 March 2019). "Inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee is in Lagos, Nigeria". Techpoint Africa. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  15. ^ Abubakar, Idris (13 March 2019). "Tim Berners Lee Visits Lagos to Mark 30th Anniversary of the World Wide Web". Technext. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  16. ^ Berners-Lee, Tim [@timberners_lee] (13 March 2019). "Wonderful energy and creativity" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ Berners-Lee, Tim (16 January 2020). "A letter to the girls at the Women's Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) in Lagos, Nigeria.". Letters to Young People Who Inspire Us, By Six Prominent People. Retrieved 15 April 2020. {{cite book}}: |magazine= ignored (help)
  18. ^ "The State of the World's Girls 2009: Girls in the Global Economy". Plan International. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  19. ^ "GEM-Tech Awards 2014: Finalists". International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Nigeria Internet Registration Association" (PDF). 8 July 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  21. ^ "EQUALS in Tech 2019 Award Winners". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  22. ^ "PRESS RELEASE EQUALS in Tech Awards celebrate five outstanding initiatives to promote digital gender equality". equals. Archived from the original on 24 December 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  23. ^ "WSIS Prizes 2020". International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved 15 April 2020.

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