Empower young girls: dti

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thabethe was speaking at a three-day Techno-girl Entrepreneurship Workshop held at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre, Kimberly, Northern Cape.

"We as government in general, and the dti in particular, are investing in developing young girls in order to ensure that they do not become a liability, and a burden to the state, but contribute meaningfully in the country. This they can do by establishing their own businesses and creating employment. We want to create youngsters who will be creators of jobs and not seekers of jobs," said Thabethe.

Learners from 10 Northern Cape schools participated in the three-day workshop that kicked off on Friday, 12 April 2013.

The workshop forms part of the dti's Technology for Women in Business (TWIB), which seeks to introduce young girls to multitudes of career opportunities in various sectors of the economy they can pursue.

The workshop encouraged innovation.

"The earlier investment we make towards the entrepreneurial development of girls; the greater the returns pumped back into our economy will be. These rewards include becoming successful women entrepreneurs, through the invention of innovative technological products," she said.

The schools had been tasked with the responsibility of supporting the girls in developing a viable business plan, which they presented in front of a panel of judges on Saturday.

The business ideas presented were required to respond to pertinent issues of technology and innovation, among others.

At the workshop overall winners were presented with various prizes.

As a reward for being focused, Boitumelo Oliphant was surprised by the deputy minister who awarded her with a trip to the Global Summit of Women which will be held in Malaysia in June. Oliphant is a pupil at the Tetlanyo high school.

Oliphant will accompany Thabethe to the summit as well as attend the dti's Budget Vote in Cape Town.

"She always showed confidence and focus. Her presentation skills were extraordinary," said Thabethe at the end of the workshop on Sunday.

"I thank all the Tetlanyo learners without whom I could not have been noticed by Deputy Minister Thabethe. I am going to take full advantage of it and use it as my stepping stone to achieve even greater things in life," said Oliphant.

Her school presented a business idea on a four-in-one washing machine that rinses, dries and irons. The girls did not get the first prize, but they were awarded for brilliant participation, good presentation skills and team work.

Learners from the Kimberley-based school each received a mobile phone.

Thabethe added that Techno-girl programme was also aimed at encouraging girls to focus on Maths, Science and Technology with the aim of encouraging them to pursue careers in Engineering, Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship.