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Last Thursday, May 23, R.O.S.A. President Mariarosy Calleri had the opportunity to present the ReCoding Africa program to members of American Exchange Rome, the delegation of the United Republic of Tanzania, and Italian company representatives during a networking event at Zest the Hub.
Lori Hickey, co-founder of American Exchange Rome, opened up the intellectual discussion about ReCoding Africa's mission to empower African youth and their communities through education and remote working.
In her presentation, Calleri highlighted R.O.S.A.’s upcoming mission trip to Africa in July to build computer labs in two partner schools in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam in order to deliver the ReCoding Africa program to local high school students. She discussed the importance of creating a model for sustainable local development based on IT education, leadership, and entrepreneurship, and how its beneficiaries can take advantage of the remote work revolution, the evening’s main topic. The program also provides volunteer opportunities for students from Europe and the United States and aims to close the gender gap in the IT workforce.
Calleri then had the honor to announce the keynote speaker of the event, the Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania in Italy, Mahmoud Kombo. Ambassador Kombo proudly spoke of his home country, praised Calleri and the R.O.S.A. team on their work, and expressed his full support of the ReCoding Africa program.
Ambassador Kombo addressed the need for such a program in Tanzania to uplift communities and prevent further casualties from dangerous immigration. Ambassador Kombo mentioned that African students can eventually apply the skills they learned from the ReCoding Africa program to find remote jobs that allow them to stay in their home countries.
In Africa, Ambassador Kombo said, 800 million people are under 40. Of that number, 40% are unemployable, jobless, or unskilled. Programs like ReCoding Africa could positively impact this number, paving the way for economic growth and wellbeing within local communities in Tanzania.
Currently, only 30% of Africans have access to IT infrastructure. ReCoding Africa intends to be the gateway program to increasing the development of IT education and tech job opportunities for African youth. Calleri stated that, through R.O.S.A.'s partnership with Cisco Networking Academy, the ReCoding Africa program will create a pipeline that produces social value, inclusion, and economic growth.
As Calleri stated, the community leaders in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam want opportunities for their children and grandchildren, so they may reap the benefits of what the IT age and global job market are offering to youth everywhere.
Ambassador Kombo stressed the benefits offered by the Cisco Networking Academy and the skills they provide youth in Tanzania.
As part of the Cisco Networking Academy, R.O.S.A.'s ReCoding Africa will provide such opportunities in full force.
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