Join the Movement: Supporting Girls in ICT Day 2026 and the AGGCI Project Through Laptop Donations

In the spirit of celebrating the International Girls in ICT Day 2026 in Ethiopia, under the global theme “AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future,” we are launching a collaborative movement to inspire and empower girls and young women to pursue education and careers in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), while positioning them as active contributors to Africa’s digital transformation.
As part of the lead-up activities, the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), implemented by UN Women in partnership with the African Union Commission – Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (AUC/ESTI), Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD), Human Resources, Science and Technology Department (HRST), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), with support from the Government of Belgium, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and Siemens AG, continues to equip girls and young women with coding, digital, and problem-solving skills, 
while also seeking to bridge the gender digital divide by enhancing access to technology, strengthening digital literacy, and creating pathways for girls to thrive in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) has delivered measurable results in strengthening digital skills, innovation, and policy engagement for girls and young women across Africa. The programme has equipped over 3,000 girls and young women with gender, coding, AI, ICT, and problem-solving skills, while also advocating for the gender mainstreaming but also for integration of ICT and coding skills into national education systems in countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, alongside ongoing reforms in curriculum development, teacher capacity, and digital learning strategies. Through this initiative, it has also established tech hubs jointly witgovernments and strengthened pathways for young women into the digital economy by providing mentorship, innovation platforms, and exposure to entrepreneurship and regional opportunities, enabling participants to develop and showcase digital solutions addressing community challenges. Building on these results, there is a continued need to expand access to digital tools and learning infrastructure to sustain and scale the impact of the programme.
To this end, the UN Women Liaison Office to the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa is proud to launch the campaign: “Tech Her Up Africa- One Device at a Time” which will conclude by 30th of April. 
Through this campaign, we are calling on partners to contribute refurbishable laptops. These devices will be securely reset, upgraded where possible, and redistributed to:
• AGCCI alumni, enabling continued learning, innovation, and participation in the digital 
economy, and
• Selected schools to support the establishment or strengthening of ICT/tech hubs; and Access to functional digital devices remains one of the most critical barriers to digital inclusion for girls and young women. By donating unused or decommissioned laptops, your organization will directly contribute to expanding digital access, strengthening STEM pathways, and empowering the next generation of African women in technology.
We warmly invite your organization, embassy, firm, or institution to join this movement by contributing any available laptops suitable for refurbishment. UN Women will ensure secure data wiping, responsible handling, and equitable redistribution in line with programme objectives.
Below are a summary of recommended laptop specifications and the information we request from donating partners.
Category Specification Preferred (recommended)
Intel Core i7 (9th Gen+) or equivalent; 16 GB RAM; 500 GB SSD or higher
Minimum (acceptable) Intel Core i5 (8th Gen+) or equivalent; 16 GB RAM; 256 GB SSD or higher
Functional requirements 

Screen, keyboard/trackpad, Wi-Fi, charging port working; power adapters/chargers included where possible
Condition note
Devices should be suitable for refurbishment (e.g., no irreparable motherboard damage; no active BIOS/encryption/MDM lock), 

Criteria for laptop donors (what we request from partners)
1) Minimum donation requirements: Devices are legally owned and approved for donation; quantities and timeline are shared; power adapters/chargers are included 
where available.
2) Device readiness & compliance: Devices are not reported lost/stolen; any enterprise management is removed/released; devices can be transferred without BIOS/UEFI 
passwords, encryption keys, or MDM locks.
3) Basic documentation: Provide (if known) brand/model, processor/RAM/storage, quantity, working status notes, and whether chargers are included.
UN Women Liaison Office to the AU&ECA will be responsible in handling all donated devices and ensure it’s used to equip the learning centers in girls’ schools from Ethiopia. 
We would greatly value your support in this collective effort to advance digital equality and unlock opportunities for girls across Ethiopia and beyond.
For further coordination or inquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out to: 

Cherinet Amsalu through [ Click to reveal ]  with a copy to 

Ms. Enissa Iteka through [ Click to reveal ]  or +251-91-111-9435.
 

We look forward to your valued partnership