Our history

Pioneering Digital Empowerment

ACWICT was born out of a vision to harness the power of technology to uplift women and youth. Established in 2001, we recognized the immense potential of ICT to drive social and economic change in Kenya and beyond. Our journey began with a small but determined team, passionate about bridging the digital divide and creating opportunities for women and youth from marginalized and underserved communities.

Over the years, ACWICT has grown into a leading ICT4D organization, expanding our reach and impact. We have evolved from a local initiative to a regional leader in ICT4D. Our journey has been marked by significant milestones, including the first regional conference on women and ICTs held in June 2002 to the implementation of transformative employment, agriculture and food security, health, education and innovation programs to contributing to the development of the Kenya ICT Authority national digital skills training curriculum and foundational and basic level digital skills training materials currently in use of the government’s digital skilling program targeting 20 million citizens. We’ve forged strategic partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, academia, and private sector companies to amplify our efforts. Our programs have garnered recognition and awards, demonstrating our effectiveness in empowering women and youth.

Our story is one of resilience, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to leveraging technology for social good.

We started with a vision to bridge the gender digital devide and create opportunities for girls and young women from rural and marginalized communities in Kenya to pursue careers in STEM related fields.

We started to make inroads on paths that others are only beginning to pursue. The successes we have realized in may parts of the country give us a strong standing as your lead ICT for Development partner. We have developed and refined proven approaches to delivering youth employment solutions.

COVID-19 influenced the way we deliver our digital services. We rapidly adapted our programs to a virtual environment, ensuring uninterrupted support for our beneficiaries. By leveraging technology, we were able to maintain momentum and even expand our reach during this difficult period. Girls and young women whose jobs and livelihood opportunities had been shuttered by the pandemic got a second chance to work and earn a living in the digital workspace through our market driven digital skills training, mentorship, psycho-social support and job linkages; marginalized and underserved women and youth small holder farmers were able to increase their agricultural production by about 30% through being able to access and utilize local relevant digital agricultural content including weather advisory services, good agricultural practices and market access; health care workers deploying technology to continue delivery of healthcare services despite the movement restrictions during the pandemic.

We have evolved and can reach our learners wherever they are. Through our instructor-led virtual learning platforms and the mobile enabled ACWICTS4E platform, we provide hybrid learning. We also conduct live lessons via Microsoft Teams or physically at the ACWICT Institute of Technology. Furthermore, we have capacity and experience to train on location in remote areas. Additionally, we have developed and refined a digital inclusion model in Kenya that can be replicated across Africa. This model focuses on digital skills training, effective engagement strategies, expanding affordable internet access, raising awareness, and creating bundled digital content.