By Karabo Ntanzi
Picture supplied
Twenty-two young women from Kimberley get to the forefront of technology through the Drone Diva project.Africa Beyond 4th Industrial Revolution (AB4IR), a digital innovation hub based in Pretoria, is changing lives for women by training to use drones, a flying robots used for surveillance.
CEO and founder of AB4IR, Kelebogile Molopyane said they partnered with a Goethe Institute, a German company, for the Drove Diva programme. “A call is made for applicants, followed by a vigorous process of interviews and written assessments. Before successful candidates are placed on the programme”, she explained.
Training takes two weeks, in both theory and practical and introducing women to drone technology. Training includes the use of 3D printers, coding and programming drones.
Then a graduation ceremony is held. “We could only secure internship placing for ten best students”, said Molopyane.
“Africa Beyond is my brainchild, I was inspired by years of experience in enterprise development coupled with the glaring need to address the ever-growing digital and gender divide. I wanted to bring technology and its opportunities closer to the people”, said the brilliant 45-year old Molopyane.
AB4IR was established in 2019 by Molopyane who holds a Bachelors Degree in Public Management, a post-grad diploma and MBA focusing on the effect of business incubation on the success of SMMEs.
The Drone Dive Project has produced 45 qualified women in drone technology and all are placed with reputable organisations. The next intake will be in KZN in August 2023.
AB4IR has trained 92 unemployed youth in IT Systems Development and enrolled 50 new students for 2023. Most participants have no IT background and the programme have increased their employability chances.
The organisation offers other IT-related programmes; each programme is unique, including coding for children.
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