Project
Project “African Women in Tech and AI” AWITAI
It is a commitment to the advancement of artificial intelligence and international collaboration. Together, let's continue to push back the frontiers of knowledge and shape the future of AI for lasting positive impact.
Main Objectives
The project aims to train and support 150 African women entrepreneurs with an interest in technological innovation and AI. Especially, its main objectives are to:
➜ Improve the capacity of African countries in the adoption and implementation of AI;
➜ Strengthen gender equality in the design and use of AI systems, as well as Flagship programme 5, focusing in particular on “Open Science” and “Scientific Research to strengthen innovation”.
Programme details
Beneficiary countries/regions: African continent, all sub-regions
Target groups: African women entrepreneurs in the field of AI
Duration of the Project: 2023-2025
Funding and donor(s): 500,000 USD from Ai movement
Implementing partners and stakeholders :
- Sector for Priority Africa and External Relations (UNESCO PAX)
- International Center Ai movement of the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (Morocco)
- OCP Foundation (Morocco)
Related Flagship Programmes of the Operational Strategy for Priority Africa (2022-2029)
Flagship Programme 4: Harnessing new and emerging technologies for sustainable development in Africa, including through the implementation of the recommendation on the ethics of artificial intelligence.
Flagship Programme 5: Enhance Open Science, reinforce capacity building in Basic and Applied Sciences and Scientific Research to strengthen innovation and technology development and use in Ocean Science, climate change resilience and water resource management in Africa.
Components of the partnership
The AWITAI project is comprised of 4 components:
➜ Component 1: To develop skills and leadership of 150 African women in the AI and data science fields, through on-line training sessions and on-site summer camps at Ai movement;
➜ Component 2: To incubate around 30 entrepreneurial initiatives led by African women who have benefited from the training;
➜ Component 3: To develop AI-based technologies addressing African issues, particularly social, gender, environmental, agricultural, education and healthcare issues, thus fulfilling the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the objectives of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union;
➜ Component 4: To create a pan-African network of women entrepreneurs and leaders working in the field of AI.
Results and impacts
✔ In 2023, the first phase of the project contributed to the training of 34 women from 11 African countries and the incubation and seed funding of 8 entrepreneurial projects led by 8 of these women (USD 24 to 30,000). The selected AI projects focus on the following fields of application: agriculture, nutrition/health, sustainable energy, water treatment, conflict resolution, and employment.
✔ In 2024, the second phase of the project contributed to the training of 80 women from 28 African countries and the selection of the 15 most promising entrepreneurial projects, which will be incubated and funded. The selected AI projects focus on the following fields of application: agriculture, education, health, disaster risk reduction, water management, sustainable energy, gender equity, web accessibility, and technology/construction.
Future actions
- Funding and incubation of the 15 entrepreneurial projects led by women selected in 2024;
- Training and support to the third and last cohort of women in 2025;
- Consolidation of the growing network of women benefiting from the AWITAI project and the platform of dialog and exchange created throughout the project.
