The Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF) will contribute to discussions on future job skills in Africa at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, beginning May 11.
YTF Founder and CEO Njideka Harry is no stranger to this topic. Earlier this year, she published a post in GE Reports detailing YTF’s work in light of the “4th Industrial Revolution,” explaining YTF’s role at the intersection of education and entrepreneurship in Africa.
At the Forum: YTF’s Participation
Building on this experience, Harry will contribute to sessions around the digital transformation of industries and building future-proof talent for Africa. She will also participate in a “ScaleShop” session to meet with investors and share YTF’s work with 3D Africa.
Additional activities include participating in:
- A “Women in Leadership” dinner convening women leaders from different backgrounds and generations to celebrate successes and share insights on overcoming barriers to leadership. Speakers include Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of Oxfam.
- A round table discussion with leaders from Facebook, Girl Effect and ISON to discuss how to give adolescent girls the platforms to connect, helping them have a voice and find inspiration, in an effort to change the way they perceive themselves and the way society sees them shifting the social norms they live in.
- An industry leadership breakfast discussion with Carnegie Melon University in Rwanda to discuss the urgency to build an ecosystem that supports research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to develop contextually relevant products and services to address Africa’s challenges and opportunities.
- A session titled, “Make it your business: mobilizing corporate public advocacy for open societies.” Harry will serve as table host, helping participants consider how growing restrictions on civil society impact economic, social and political spheres.
- A Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation session on “Innovations to build an inclusive digital economy.”
- A session, “Delivering the promise of FinTech in Africa”, to gain a better understanding of the opportunities to transform the African financial services landscape and the impact of connectivity.
The Forum in a Nutshell
According to the WEF website: “Under the theme Connecting Africa’s Resources through Digital Transformation, the 26th World Economic Forum on Africa will convene regional and global leaders from business, government and civil society to discuss digital economy catalysts that can drive radical structural transformation, strengthen public-private collaboration on key global and regional challenges, and agree on strategic actions that can deliver shared prosperity across the continent.”
