Soronko Rotary Girls Coding Project Cohort 3 Graduation

After six weeks of digital skills training, the 3rd Cohort for the Soronko Rotary Coding for Girls Project came to an end today 26th February 2021. The project is run through a global grant with Rotary International, Rotary Club of Limbuergerhof/Voderpflaz, and the Host, Rotary Club of Accra Airport.  The graduating cohort of Soronko Rotary Girls Coding Project underwent intensive training on digital skills, social media management, and also build responsive websites with WordPress. As part of the training activities, the beneficiaries gained soft skills training in public speaking, CV writing, and personal branding to equip themselves with employability skills and knowledge to become entrepreneurs.

The graduation ceremony was in attendance by members from Rotary Club Accra-Airport, the beneficiaries, and the staff of Soronko Academy. Prior to the start of the ceremony, the beneficiaries presented their final project work to the panel. The students received good remarks from their trainers and guests present at the ceremony. The students were advised and encouraged to present themselves as IT professionals when presenting to potential clients and as well demonstrate how they can translate a client’s needs into a website. 

The graduation ceremony kicked off with an opening prayer by Miss Annette Agyare, the Human Resources Manager of Soronko Academy followed by a welcome address from Mrs. Regina Honu, CEO of Soronko Academy. In her welcome address, Mrs. Regina Honu thanked the Rotary Club of Limbuergerhof/Voderpflaz and the Host, Rotary Club of Accra Airport for the great partnership and hard work in making this cohort a success. Mrs. Regina Honu in her congratulatory speech to the beneficiaries,  shared the objectives of what the academy seeks to achieve beyond their training. She highlighted the importance of the skills acquired by the ladies and encouraged everyone to register the academy’s opportunities platform as Soronko seeks to engage the beneficiaries even beyond the training period.

Mrs. Rovaughna Richardson the E-Counsellor delivered a presentation on e-counseling service and its benefits in improving self-confidence and self-awareness in girls. As part of the project plan, beneficiaries received demand-driven E-Counseling Resources to support their mental and physical wellbeing. Mrs. Rovaughna Richardson at the event spoke about her wonderful experience with the girls who opted for counseling and how much they have improved within this period. The students who participated in the E-counselling sessions were all recognized and awarded gifts based on their commitment and dedication to completing their action-plan sheets. The awardees included Vanessa, Rashida, Comfort, and Hafsah. 

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Soronko Academy made a presentation on the findings gathered from the Soronko Rotary Coding for Girls Cohort 2 Impact Assessment survey. From the findings, it was worth noting that the previous cohort beneficiaries are employed and are actively using the skills learned to improve a situational condition.

The ceremony continued with a speech by Rotarian Naana Agyemang Mensah, the past president of Rotary Accra-Airport City who encouraged the girls to be goal-oriented, achieve their dreams, work hard and impact other girls to bridge the gap between boys and girls in technology. According to her, exposure to IT puts a person 10 years ahead of their peers. As such, she advised the beneficiaries to use this experience as a stepping stone to participate in other “Digital skills DIY” and coding boot-camps to enhance their marketability. For those seeking to be employed, Rotarian Naana Agyemang Mensah encouraged them to begin with apprenticeship or volunteering opportunities in order to gain more employability skills.  She advised the ladies to remember that “It is not about what they have achieved but it is about what you can do with what you have or achieved”. She admonished the ladies to stay honest and focused on what they do. As a Rotarian, she charged the ladies to identify ways they can be useful and of help to people in need in their community. Rotarian Naana Agyemang Mensah congratulated the ladies for successfully completing their training and wished them well for the journey ahead. She ended her speech with the quote “You are ready to launch out, Go and Make us Proud”.

As part of the graduation ceremony, awards were given to the team with the best business website and as well as the most punctual student and the best student in terms of academic excellence. Team Red Bank was adjudged winners because of their teamwork and distribution of tasks through their six-week training. The lead trainer, Oreo, and her assistant shared their experience on how impactful the training was and are looking forward to seeing the trainees excel in the IT field.

In closing, certificates of completion were presented to all the graduating Rotary Cohort 3 trainees. Miss Josephine Offei the Career and Development Advisor at Soronko Academy introduced the beneficiaries to the Soronko Alumni Network and encouraged them to register as this opportunity would allow them to stay connected to continue to learn and build their capacity. The ceremony ended with a vote of thanks by Miss Josephine Offei. The participants, together with the staff of Soronko Academy and representatives of Rotary Club Accra-Airport City took a group picture and networked amongst themselves.