NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

By Sibahle Malinga

Tech giants Microsoft and Google have invested millions of rand to establish initiatives to help create pathways to prosperity for women and girls across Africa.

In light of International Women’s Day today, Google has opened applications for its newly launched global grant funding initiative, the Impact Challenge (GIC) for Women and Girls, which will provide $25 million in cash grants to women-focused non-profits and social enterprises on the continent.

Microsoft, meanwhile, has partnered with non-profit social enterprise organisation Tech4Dev  to launch the Techsters Women Programme to provide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills to five million girls and women across Africa.