Empowering African Women in Tech: Discover She Code Africa

In the dynamic world of technology, where innovation knows no bounds, closing the gender gap remains a vital priority—especially in Africa. She Code Africa is at the forefront of this movement, a registered non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and empowering young girls and women across the continent. With a focus on technical and soft skills development, She Code Africa is building a more inclusive STEM landscape, one learner at a time. Let’s explore this transformative initiative.

The Mission: Fostering Equality and Innovation in Tech

She Code Africa’s core vision is an Africa where women are equally represented in all tech career roles, driving innovation and shaping the digital future. The organization empowers over 65,000 African girls and women with essential digital skills, bridging the gender divide through hands-on training, community building, and advocacy. Their mission emphasizes bringing more women into technology via offline and online events, while providing platforms for existing members to grow technically and professionally. Active in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda, and Liberia, the community boasts over 10,000 members and continues to expand.

Key Programs: Skill-Building and Career Acceleration

She Code Africa offers a diverse array of initiatives designed to equip participants with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed for success in tech. From scholarships to mentorship, these programs cover technical tracks like backend development, digital marketing, e-commerce, and open source contributions, alongside soft skills for career scaling. Highlights include:

• Laptop Scholarship Program: Sponsored by partners like HP, this flagship initiative provides brand-new laptops to African women and girls facing digital access barriers. It supports coding bootcamps, online courses, remote jobs, and global collaborations, with applications open quarterly—such as the Q4 2025 round in celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child.
• Mentorship Program: Launched in partnership with the HP Digital Equity Accelerator, this program matches mentees with experienced mentors in chosen tracks for career transitions, clarity, and growth. It’s ideal for women navigating tech challenges or leveling up in their roles.
• Grow with Google Scholarship: In collaboration with Coursera, this offers 100% scholarships for upskilling in high-demand fields, culminating in Coursera Career Certificates and She Code Africa completion certificates.
• Open Source Program and Hackathons: Participants contribute to real-world projects, with alumni like Ruth Ikegah now mentoring others in the African open-source ecosystem.
• Community Initiatives: Including Courses and Platform Scholarships, Laptop Repair Scholarships, webinars, Slack chats, office hours, happy hours, and the annual SCA Summit for networking and awards.

These programs not only teach skills but also foster entrepreneurship, employment, and personal development through dedicated community channels.

Inspiring Stories from the She Code Africa Community

The impact of She Code Africa is best told through the voices of its “SCA Queens”—the resilient women transforming their lives and careers:

• Rachael Favour A.: A Software Engineer and She Code Africa ESTAM Lead, she credits the community for her growth in design and leadership, sharing her journey at events like International Women’s Day celebrations.
• Ruth Ikegah: Introduced to open source via the program’s initiatives, she now mentors emerging changemakers, highlighting how early opportunities lead to ecosystem leadership.
• Anonymous Backend Developer: Completed a knowledge-sharing session on backend development, gaining confidence through Slack community discussions.
• Digital Marketing Graduate: Finished a 5-month program in Digital Marketing and e-commerce, emerging ready to tackle tech’s non-technical roles.

These stories, drawn from summits, hackathons, and daily community interactions, underscore the organization’s role in turning aspirations into achievements.

Get Involved: Partnerships, Volunteering, and More

She Code Africa thrives on collaboration and welcomes everyone to join the movement. Ways to contribute include:

• Join as a Member or Volunteer: Access channels for learning, networking, and sharing career stories.
• Donate or Sponsor: Support scholarships and events to amplify reach.
• Partner with Us: Collaborate on initiatives like hackathons or summits, as seen with HP, Google, and Coursera.
• Attend Events: Participate in webinars, International Women’s Day themes like “Inspire Inclusion; Champion Changemakers,” or the SCA Summit.

Why She Code Africa Matters

As Africa’s tech sector booms, diverse voices are key to sustainable innovation. She Code Africa isn’t just equipping women with skills—it’s dismantling barriers, promoting inclusion, and paving the way for a generation of female leaders in STEM. With over 65,000 beneficiaries and growing, this initiative is a beacon of hope and progress.

For more details, visit She Code Africa. Let’s champion these changemakers together!

This post is inspired by content from She Code Africa’s official channels and partners.