Silicon chip maker, Intel Corporation has entered into a partnership with the Nigeria and Ghana chapter of the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) for the delivery of digital literacy training to women entrepreneurs.

Known as Intel EASY STEPS, the training will be conducted on a ‘Train-the-Trainer’ basis is part of Intel’s educational content designed to improve quality of lives through extensive use of digital technology.

Intel’s West Africa Corporate Affairs Manager, Osagie Ogunbor, said the initiative would enhance the ability of the women to run more efficient businesses; adding that the training which will be provided free of charge,  is part of Intel’s “women friendly” corporate social responsibility initiatives.

According to Ogunbor, digital literacy is pivotal to the improvement of the quality of lives of any individual in today’s contemporary world.

“You cannot be effective and efficient in the running of any enterprise without digital literacy. This has become a necessity in this digital age and we are proud to lead in global efforts at digital literacy,” he said.

President of AWEP Nigeria, Yemisi Iranloye said she was delighted that Intel was providing the free training for its members and promised that those who receive the training will in turn ensure that they train others.

She added that despite the large number of women running very small informal businesses in Ghana, “a number of them are unable to expand the scope and profile of their businesses because they are unable to take advantage of the opportunities that abound in this digital world.”

AWEP is an initiative launched by the United States (US) Department of State in July 2010 that identifies and builds networks of women entrepreneurs across sub-Saharan Africa with the purpose of transforming their societies by owning, running, and operating small and medium businesses, and by becoming voices for social advocacy in their communities.