Slamm Foundation, ISC2 deepen push for gender equity in cybersecurity with 4th YWIT graduation

 

Slamm Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of indigenous technology services provider, Slamm Technologies, in partnership with ISC2, has graduated the fourth cohort of its flagship Young Women in Tech (YWIT) programme, marking another milestone in efforts to expand female participation in Africa’s fast-growing cybersecurity sector.

Twenty-two (22) young women completed the intensive two-week residential boot camp held at Fab Hub Ashanti in Kumasi, emerging with industry-relevant technical skills, structured mentorship experience and clear pathways toward internationally recognised cybersecurity certifications.

Francisca Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of Slamm Foundation, seated, with participants in cohort 4 of Young Women in Tech programme

The programme was designed as a fully immersive experience. Participants began each day at 5:00 a.m. with physical training and team conditioning exercises, followed by daily orientation sessions and up to nine hours of cybersecurity instruction. The curriculum covered core security principles, risk management, network security fundamentals and professional ethics, alongside public speaking and career development modules. The training ran continuously for 14 days, including weekends.

The initiative responds to a widening talent and gender gap across Africa’s digital economy. Women account for just 13.5 percent of the cybersecurity workforce on the continent; the lowest regional share globally, despite near gender parity in many STEM graduation cohorts. At the same time, Africa faces a significant shortfall in trained cybersecurity professionals, with fewer than 300,000 practitioners serving a population of 1.4 billion people. Globally, an estimated 2.8 million cybersecurity roles remain unfilled.

Francisca Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of Slamm Foundation, left, receiving an album of appreciation from participants in cohort 4 of Young Women in Tech programme

Francisca Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of Slamm Foundation, described the programme as a deliberate intervention aimed at shifting long-term structural imbalances in the technology sector. “This is not simply a graduation ceremony; it is a statement of intent. Each cohort represents a strategic investment in Africa’s digital resilience. When we speak about cybersecurity gaps, we are speaking about national security, economic stability and the protection of our digital future. Women must be central to that conversation,” she said.

She added that the discipline-centred design of the boot camp is intentional. “We do not separate technical competence from character development. The early mornings, the long training hours, the debates,they are structured to build confidence, resilience and leadership capacity. Our goal is not just to prepare participants for certification exams, but to prepare them for boardrooms, policy discussions and entrepreneurial ventures,” she added.

Mrs. Boateng emphasised that the Foundation remains committed to scaling the initiative, stating: “We are building a pipeline. Four cohorts in, the evidence is clear: when you give young women access, structure and high expectations, they exceed them. The future of Africa’s cybersecurity ecosystem will be shaped by programmes like this.”

As ISC2 reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to expanding access to globally recognised credentials, including the Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) certification, Slamm Foundation is supporting in discharging this mandate.

The closing ceremony featured a formal certificate presentation and a structured debate on emerging cybersecurity threats, data protection frameworks and ethical responsibilities in digital defence. The debate served as a practical assessment of participants’ analytical reasoning, policy awareness and communication skills.

Francisca Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of Slamm Foundation

The session was adjudicated by a three-member panel comprising Benedicta Boatemaa Afriyie, Team Lead at Cedafa Limited and BB Flava Foods; Ama Duncan, entrepreneur, author and founder of the Fabulous Woman Network; and Bernard Yaw Ashiadey, journalist with the Business & Financial Times.

One of the participant of the fourth cohort, speaking on behalf of her colleagues, reflected on the intensity of the experience. “I entered this programme uncertain about my place in cybersecurity. Two weeks later, I leave with clarity and conviction. The structure was demanding, but it revealed strengths many of us did not know we possessed. We are not stepping into this industry quietly, we are stepping in prepared,” she said.

She added that the residential format fostered both technical growth and peer support. “The environment pushed us, but it also united us. We leave not only as graduates, but as a network.”

Since its establishment in 2019, Slamm Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Slamm Technologies, has focused on building digital literacy and cybersecurity capacity across Ghana and the wider African region. The Foundation reports having trained more than 200,000 young people through initiatives including the One Million Campaign and the Nimde3 mobile learning platform, with a target of reaching one million beneficiaries within the decade.

ISC2, meanwhile, remains the world’s largest nonprofit membership association for cybersecurity professionals, with more than 600,000 certified members and associates worldwide. Its certification portfolio includes CISSP, SSCP, CCSP and Certified in Cybersecurity (CC), and its One Million Certified in Cybersecurity initiative seeks to broaden entry pathways into the profession globally.