On August 12–13, 2025, Almaty hosted the third regional training under the Women ICT Frontier Initiative – Digital Transformation (WIFI DX) programme, organized by the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for ICT for Development (APCICT/ESCAP) in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, DKNews.kz reports.
For the first time in the programme’s history, the training was conducted in Russian, making it more accessible to women entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan and Central Asian countries. This localization was made possible thanks to the support of Bank CenterCredit and partnerships with leading women’s communities in technology and entrepreneurship: Women in Tech Kazakhstan, She Business Community, and Women in Business.
The event gathered trainers and women entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, marking the official launch of the WIFI DX programme in Central Asia. The presence of representatives from the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan and Women in Tech communities from across the Central Asian region underscored the programme’s importance in fostering regional cooperation and knowledge exchange.
WIFI DX aims to develop digital skills among women entrepreneurs to enhance their competitiveness in today’s digital reality. The two-day programme included courses on e-commerce and digital marketing, data analytics, digital security, business continuity planning, and implementing AI in marketing and sales.
“This training is not only about digital skills, but also about confidence, opportunities, and regional cooperation,” noted Assem Bolatzhan, Adviser to the Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan.
“By conducting the training in Kazakh and Russian, we are breaking language barriers and providing access to vital knowledge for more women,” added Amina Khassenova, Head of the Directorate for Entrepreneur Support Programmes at Bank CenterCredit.
Launched in 2016 by APCICT/ESCAP, the WIFI DX programme continues to evolve to meet the needs of women entrepreneurs in the digital economy. Its Central Asian edition is set to become a foundation for further localized and collaborative initiatives in the region.
