WEZESHA DADA(A SWAHILI WORD MEANING EMPOWERING WOMEN TO BE INDEPENDENT)

Gender inequality is a stumbling block to development in our country. Kenyan Women constitute a majority of the poor who face most challenges, including lack of access to regular income due to societal disadvantage and inequality. It is rare to find a Kenyan woman in the laptop and mobile phone repair industry. For these reasons, Franky's foundation donates its time, knowledge, and skills to girls and women interested in ICT to help transform their lives by reducing poverty levels through empowerment.

Franky's Foundation empowerment is proof that the solution to needy and vulnerable women in Kenya may not come from European countries but Kenyans. Our empowerment program targets the weak, needy, school dropouts, and Women living with disabilities. The empowerment enables Kenyan women to realize their full potential, identity, and power regarding hands-on skills in repairing mobile phones and laptops. The hands-on training approach breaks down each repair procedure. The curriculum comprises diagnosing and troubleshooting all models of laptops and mobile phone problems up to advanced soldering repair techniques.

The foundation operates a small training center on leased space in Nairobi County, Central Business District (CBD), established on 24th September 2019. Our empowerment is self-funded through the support of small profits made from repairs done in the workshop.

The empowerment period takes three months. Upon completing the course, the trained women develop skills that help establish profitable and sustainable repair businesses. We promote gender equality and women empowerment in ICT—one way of increasing our country's productivity and fueling its economic growth. It is a worthy cause.

My name is frankline Ojiambo, a Computer Engineer by profession and the Founder of Franky's Foundation. I am a leader, an innovator, and a risk-taker who is very passionate about empowering Needy and Vulnerable women interested in ICT. There is overwhelming evidence worldwide to show that girls and women are more disadvantaged than boys and men. Most face everyday problems, like unemployment and poverty that need intervention. That is why I started an organization to act as an engine for social good.

Franky's foundation gives back to the community and is committed to looking beyond self. The foundation offers ICT training courses majorly on laptops and mobile phone repair. The course equips disadvantaged Kenyan girls/women with skills needed for self-empowerment that helps them to start and operate small repair shops.

We help them set up small repair shops in two groups to encourage them to work as a team and earn an income through repairs they carry out. We also encourage them to impart skills acquired by training fellow girls and women in the community. The foundation continues to guide and ensure that their businesses thrive as part of our corporate responsibility.

 Our mission is to help vulnerable and needy women access decent work and address the gender wage gap in ICT. Our goal is to enable these women to develop a career in the repair industry and raise living standards. There is constant and continuous use of electronic devices across the country, hence repairing services.

The number of those requiring this type of training increases every day. Still, due to a lack of adequate training space, The foundation can accommodate a maximum of eight students per cohort. The way forward is to get a bigger space to accommodate a large number and establish an advanced technical training center for girls/women.

Case of a worthy cause – Franky's foundation has recruited girls and women who live in Nairobi slums. Their families were adversely affected when they lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Most of them are single mothers and seek odd jobs. In their vulnerable situation, they at times attempted drugs and prostitution to earn a living. These are some of the cases the foundation reaches out, bringing a smile and breaking cycles of poverty to those most affected in the slum areas and aiding their economic growth.

 Our empowerment programs face a variety of challenges related to funding. Lack of funding affects our program stability since we support women from families that cannot afford to pay fees for the technical training. We call on joining us, holding our hands, and walking with us by providing us with resources, networks, and capital to run and grow our empowerment and initiative.

When we deploy technology in the right way, it can be one of the world's most potent weapons against poverty. When we empower a woman, we designate a family and a whole nation.

Kindly see our empowerment story featured on NTV media.

https://youtu.be/PLE9gECOKqU

https://youtu.be/YvT8gnK5IaU

Also, visit our Facebook page For more inspirations and testimonials.

https://www.facebook.com/Frankys-Foundation-109200367166758

https://youtu.be/vvZjc6-VjH4
https://youtu.be/l6Kls6ANjVw
https://youtu.be/_VAGP3bqzGw
https://youtu.be/2TqstviC7dc