Founded on the principle of introducing young girls to basic web development skills, which will expose them to opportunities in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, Cape Town-based NPO, Code for Cape Town (Code4CT) launches a drive to collect laptops for its classrooms.

The campaign, which kicks off as part of The Hour of Code, a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries running from Monday, 7 December 2015 and aims to collect 100 laptops to be utilised during next year’s coding course aims to highlight the infinite possibilities that exist when putting technology in the hands of young women.

Code4CT is a programme which trains young girls from Grade 11 in web development, creative problem solving, as well as professional development. These activities are aimed at inspiring a generation of young girls who are well-prepared with toolkits of technical and soft skills in order to achieve high impact in the workplace.

“We’ve had a tremendously positive response to our classes from young girls. The girls in the program are eager to keep learning, and they want to invite their friends too. We’re limited by access to classrooms with the resources we need and high speed internet” says Emma Dicks, founder and director of Code4CT.

The ability to create technology puts young women in a position where they can actively participate in the Cape’s growing ICT sector.

Code4CT hopes to draw support from the corporate sector, local SMEs, government and communities who have an extra and unused laptop at their disposal.

“Ensuring a significant increase in tech skills requires a collective effort not just from us as an organization, but also the businesses where we hope to see these young girls working in the near future,” adds Dicks.

Companies or individuals interested in donating their used laptops can do so through the Code4CT website, here or dropping them at the following drop off point: Jam Media: UB2 Garden Centre, Buitenkant Street, Gardens. 

About Code 4 Cape Town

Code for Cape Town (Code4CT) is a programme that introduces young girls to basic web building skills and exposes them to opportunities in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector. Participants are trained in web development, design principles, as well as courses in professional development. Code4CT aims to inspire a generation of young girls who are well-prepared with a toolkit of technical and soft skills in order to achieve high impact in the workplace.

Code4CT aims to change the way young girls perceive IT careers, showing them that they are capable of a career in IT and that coding skills allow one to be both creative and have a social impact. Code4CT is a project of Innovate South Africa, which is a registered NPO.

For more information, visit www.code4ct.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.