The African Development Bank (AfDB) has opened an ICT Centre of Excellence at the United States International University (USIU) Nairobi Campus.
This is the second such center by the financial institution, after a similar initiative was set up at the University of Nairobi in March 2022.
Under the Coding for Employment program launched in 2018, the bank sets up such centers to train and equip African youth with demand-driven information and communication technology skills.
“Coding for Employment works to equip African youth with information and communication technology, entrepreneurship, and soft-skills training to compete in a digital economy,” AfDB says about the program. “The program’s online platforms offer in-demand technical courses such as web development, design, data science, and digital marketing – for free.”
During the opening ceremony attended by representatives from the Office of the President, Hendrina Doroba, the Bank’s Division Manager for Education and Skills Development, said that the bank is committed to helping in creating “a more prosperous and inclusive future for all.”
“The future will be shaped by technology, and it is our responsibility to prepare our young people for the challenges that lie ahead,” she added.
Technical partners Junior Achievement Kenya and Microsoft joined the Bank and Rockefeller Foundation collaboration to establish this second center in Kenya.
These centers are open to youth aged 15 – 35 who have enrolled in the Coding for Employment program, and who do not qualify or have the means to attend traditional university programs. Coding for Employment and its partners aim to reach over 1,800 Kenyan youth through the two centers.
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