UN-backed coding camps are building Kenya’s next generation of female tech leaders

A joint initiative by UN Women, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the African Union Commission (AUC) is training hundreds of young Kenyan women in coding and digital entrepreneurship, creating a direct pipeline for talent into the country’s growing tech economy.

The program, called the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), targets girls and young women aged 14 to 25. Since launching in Kenya in 2022, it has already trained 213 participants through intensive coding camps, mentorship, and leadership skills development. The curriculum goes beyond basic programming, covering ICT, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship to prepare graduates for a tech landscape that demands more than just technical skills.

This isn’t just a local project. The AGCCI operates across the continent and has trained over 1,200 young women in Africa, backed by international partners including the governments of Denmark, Belgium, Finland, and Germany, as well as corporate giant Siemens AG.

The initiative’s real-world impact is already visible. Graduates have secured jobs at major companies and institutions like Siemens, Safaricom, CYBER RANGES, the Kenya School of Government, and Zone 01. Others have leveraged their new skills to launch their own community-focused projects, including a digital literacy program for underserved children in Meru.

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Alumni are also organizing to address systemic issues in the tech world. Movements like Shield Maidens and the Space Shift Initiative, both founded by AGCCI graduates, are actively campaigning for safer digital spaces and raising awareness about Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).

According to Dan Bazira, Deputy Country Representative for UN Women in Kenya, the program is designed to create “meaningful work opportunities for AGCCI graduates to lead the digital economy.” He noted that the initiative directly supports continental strategies like the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and aligns with Kenya’s own National Digital Master Plan (2022–2032).

The program is also influencing policy from the ground up. The organizers report that the initiative has fostered deeper collaboration between Kenya’s Ministries of ICT, Gender, and Education, leading to progress in embedding technology and gender equality into the national school curriculum. By partnering directly with government bodies, the AGCCI aims to ensure its model is scalable and integrated into the country’s long-term development plans, including Kenya Vision 2030.