SheHacks, Microsoft collaborate to empower women in Kenya with Cybersecurity Engineering skills

SheHacks, Microsoft collaborate to empower women in Kenya with Cybersecurity Engineering skills

Microsoft at Shehacks HackFest 2019

Microsoft is partnering with SheHacks Kenya to co-host this years HackFest event. A move that showcases Microsoft’s commitment to supporting and advocating for Kenyan women and minorities with interest in cybersecurity engineering. The two day festival is taking place at the Strathmore University Business school in Nairobi.

shehacks
Day 1 at HackFest 2019 ?: SheHacks

Microsoft General Manager Cybersecurity Engineering, Hayden Hainsworth was the keynote speaker at the event. She expressed the company’s delight to partner with SheHacks for this year’s Hackathon.

We want to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity engineers. With a focus to prepare women to thrive in the technology industry.

We also want to make it easy for anyone to take their next step forward in technology, Hayden says. Highlighting the importance of the partnership and event in developing competency in tackling cyber threats in a rapidly evolving tech ecosystem.

Pratik Roy, Microsoft Modern Workplace and Security Business Group Lead
speaks on the principles of kill-chain at HackFest 2019

We have seen tremendous growth in the number of young women who want to participate since we founded this initiative. SheHacks founders Evelyn Kilel and Laura Tich shares. Emphasizing the need for increased support towards the youth in Kenya. To support this, they share that this years Hackfest will host close to 300 young ladies from across Kenya.

Hackfest 2019 will firstly bring together learners and experts to share knowledge and experience. Secondly it will try to inspire and nurture others to join the cybersecurity industry. Thirdly it will equip and empower them with the required technical know-how to combat cyber-crime.

Microsoft supports Women In Tech

Microsoft continues to show increased support to encourage women in technology in the region. The company introduced the LEAP engineering accelerated apprenticeship program for women in Lagos and Nairobi. Microsoft 4Afrika also collaborated with Strathmore University to extend Microsoft’s Women In Software Engineering Mentoring (WISE) Program into Africa.

Meet Abou Conde, Ghana’s first Microsoft Most Valuable Professional

Microsoft recognizes technology experts who passionately share their knowledge with their community by honouring them with the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award. One such outstanding community leader is Abou Conde.

Abou Conde, Ghana’s first MVP

Abou Conde

Abou becomes the first recipient of the prestigious Microsoft MVP award in Ghana. He has been awarded Microsoft MVP in the Azure category for 2020-2021. This makes him the first Azure MVP in West Africa. He joins four other MVP award winners in the Azure category in Africa. Three are located in South Africa and one in Egypt.

Microsoft MVP Africa outlook

There are currently thirty-two Microsoft MVP recipients in Africa. 17 are located in South Africa, 3 each in Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria. Senegal, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana each have 1 MVP. The majority of MVPs in Africa are awarded in the developer technologies, Office Apps & Services and Data Platform categories. Africa is yet to get an MVP in the Office Development, Artificial Intelligence and Windows & Devices for IT categories.

Abou notes that growing up there were no communities, expertise and mentorship to look up to. People usually had to find answers from communities and people online. He felt inspired to change this and help the local community in Ghana.

Our co-founder and editor, Christopher Bennett spoke with Abou Conde about winning the MVP award and the Microsoft User Group Ghana community. Watch the conversation below.

https://youtu.be/aJ-y8kgXnf8?t=17
MVP talk starts at 11:00

Abou Conde currently works at Global Information Technology Solutions (GITS). Specializing in both on-premise and cloud enterprise architecture. He is also an ambassador for the aOS community.

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Microsoft for Startups hosts Nigeria Tech Innovators in Lagos

Microsoft for Startups hosts Nigeria Tech Innovators in Lagos

Microsoft leaders meet with Nigeria tech innovators at a founders dinner in Lagos.

Microsoft for Startups

Microsoft for Startups team meets with innovators and leaders of technology organizations from across Nigeria that are “disrupting the way Nigerians experience payments, healthcare, transportation and education“.

The special drinks and dinner meetup brought together over forty innovators, founders and leaders in the Nigerian Tech ecosystem. The event was hosted by the Microsoft for Startups team and organized by TechCircle Nigeria.

Microsoft leaders at the event include, Microsoft Startup Advocacy lead and Cloud Developer Advocate, Simona Cotin, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana Country Manager, Akin Banuso and Gafar Lawal Microsoft Africa Development Center Managing Director.

Simona Cotin shared Microsoft’s desire to deepen its relationship with the emerging tech scene in Africa. As well as work with communities in the area.

The team visited Nigerian startups OPay Nigeria, Paystack, PiggyVest and Flutterwave earlier in the day. Learning about the developer ecosystem. Simona and other Microsoft advocates also spoke at Concatenate developer conference in Lagos, where Microsoft was a platinum sponsor.

Check out photo’s from the event courtesy TechCircle Nigeria.

Microsoft for Startups program

In February 2018 Microsoft announced Microsoft for Startups. A new program and platform for startups to grow, build and connect. Giving qualified startups access to technology, market and a community.

Microsoft is celebrating seven years of its 4Afrika initiative in Africa. Noting it has supported over three hundred startups providing them with business development support, access to markets and potential customers.

What do you think about Microsoft’s move into the African Tech scene. Share your thoughts with us.

Post Image: ? TechCircle

Microsoft Software Engineering Internship in Nigeria for Students

Microsoft Software Engineering Internship in Nigeria for Students

Microsoft invites Nigerian students with a final graduation date in 2021 or 2022 to apply for a Software Engineering Internship.

Microsoft says you must be enrolled as a full-time student majoring in engineering, computer science or related field to be considered.

Software Engineering Internship in Nigeria

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with a committed team to design, develop and test the next generation of technology solutions for millions of people
  • Work with teammates to solve problems and build innovative software solutions.
  • Provide technical guidance to Program Managers as they consider user needs and product requirements. 
  • Demonstrate an ability to learn and adopt relevant new technologies, tools, methods and processes to leverage in your solutions.  
  • Dedicate to building software to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. 

Qualifications

  • Currently pursuing bachelor’s or master’s  degree in engineering, computer science or related field with at least one semester/quarter/term remaining after internship.  
  • A year or two of experience programming in C++, Java or other computer programming languages preferred. 
  • Ability to demonstrate understanding of algorithms, data structures and other systems architecture factors that affect code quality, performance and customer experience  
  • Some experience building software outside of the classroom environment like an internship, hackathon, research project or related experience preferred 
  • Demonstrated skill in time management and completing software projects in a cooperative team environment 

Click for more details and apply for the Microsoft internship.

Dynabook introduces Tecra A40 and Tecra X50 Laptops

Dynabook introduces Tecra A40 and Tecra X50 Laptops

Dynabook Europe GmbH announces new Windows 10 laptops at GITEX Technology Week 2019 for the Middle East Africa market. These are the Tecra A40-E and the Tecra X50-F business laptops.

Dynabook

Toshiba’s computer business was rebranded as Dynabook in April this year. After Sharp Corporation obtained 80.1% of Toshiba’s computer business in October 2018. Therefore as of 1st April 2019, Toshiba PC’s will be known globally as Dynabook. The name also comes from Toshiba’s first generation PCs and world’s first notebook computer.

The Tecra A40 and Tecra X50 business laptops will be part of new devices to be Dynabook branded in the Middle East.

President of Dynabook Europe GmbH, Damian Jaume, says the launch of these devices demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovate within the Middle East business PC market. He made this remark speaking to the media at GITEX 2019.

The Tecra A40-E has been developed with all businesses in mind, no matter what their size or industry.
The launch of this device demonstrates our commitment to innovate within the Middle East business PC market and broaden our range of user-centric devices, following on from our company rebrand.
We are looking forward to sharing this for the first time with our Middle East clients at GITEX 2019. The biggest and most important technology event in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia
.

Typically, 15” devices have been desk-based products and therefore those using them have been bound to the office. The launch of the X50-F supports our mission to empower workers to work whenever and wherever with ultra-mobile devices, without sacrificing on portability or performance.”

Damian Jaume, President Dynabook Europe GmbH

Dynabook Tecra

A40-E

Dynabook Tecra A40-E
Operating System Windows 10 Pro
Display14.0” Toshiba Full HD TFT non-reflective High Brightness and IPS Technology display
ProcessorUp to 7th generation Intel Core i5 processor
RAM8 MB DDR4
Storage Up to 1 TB
Network
Others1.47kg, up to 13.5 hours of battery life, Quick Charge 4 hours’ battery life from 30 minutes charging.

X50-F

Dynabook Tecra X50-F
Operating System Windows 10 Pro
Display15.6” Non-reflective Full HD Display up to 470 NIT brightness or Full HD with optional in-Cell Touch technology
Onyx Blue with Hair line
ProcessorUp to 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor
RAM8 MB DDR4 RAM
Storage Up to 1 TB PCIe SSD with optional Intel Optane Technology
NetworkWiFi 6 (802.11ax), Optional 4G LTE
OthersIntel UHD Graphics 620

We are yet to get pricing and availability dates on these devices. We will update this post when we get a response.

Any Toshiba PC lovers out there? What do you think about the brand name and the new devices announced. Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Abu Dhabi Digital Authority to use Microsoft solutions in accelerating Smart Citizen Experience

Abu Dhabi Digital Authority to use Microsoft solutions in accelerating Smart Citizen Experience

Abu Dhabi Digital Authority

Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, ADDA will use Microsoft solutions in enabling the enhancement of e-services across the emirate’s public agencies. Abu Dhabi Digital Authority announced they will use Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power BI and artificial intelligence tools to build an intelligent customer-service platform for citizens.

Microsoft D365 enables government institutions to unify data and open up doors to new capabilities. That will enhance scalability and cost-effectiveness, flexibility and allow the government to innovate freely. Sayed Hashish, General Manager, Microsoft UAE explains.

Our partnership with Microsoft will allow us to build an intelligent customer-service platform. That will fulfil the ambitions of our leaders to streamline and optimise citizens and residents requests across Abu Dhabi government entities.

Through the intelligent solutions and CRM of Dynamics 365, we shall create a seamless omni-channel experience for citizens, lubricate workflow and case management and provide stakeholders and field workers with unparalleled and unprecedented decision-making capabilities through intuitive and in-depth business intelligence.”

Excellency Saeed Al Mulla, Government Service Executive Director ADDA.

“We are a long-time partner of the Abu Dhabi government in its ambitions to elevate its e-services to peerless standards. Abu Dhabi’s leaders’ vision of a secure, confident society with a competitive, sustainable and globally open economy, is one we share.” – Sayed Hashish