Girls Take Lead in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation at ICT Day Hackathon in Konza

Nairobi: Thursday, April 23, 2026 — More than 50 girls and young women convened at Konza Technopolis   to mark International Girls in ICT Day, through hands‑on coding, innovation, and bold ideas, using AI to solve real‑world challenges.

The event, held under the theme “AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future,” brought together emerging innovators from across the country in a hackathon designed to demonstrate how young women are increasingly taking the lead in shaping Kenya’s digital transformation.

The programme began with a two-day virtual bootcamp where participants explored real-world challenges affecting their communities, from maternal health gaps and cyber harassment to climate change and limited access to education. Guided by mentors and industry experts, the young innovators formed teams, refined problem statements, and began conceptualizing AI-driven solutions.

The goal was not just to teach girls about technology, but to empower them to shape it.

Many of the participants were drawn from informal settlements such as Mathare, Kibera, and Korogocho, communities where challenges like limited healthcare access, unsafe digital spaces, and economic exclusion are everyday realities.

Using these lived realities as inspiration, the teams developed a range of AI-driven solutions addressing pressing community challenges. In the area of health and wellbeing, the innovators created solutions to support maternal health and improve mental wellness among young people. Others focused on online safety and rights, designing platforms to combat cyberbullying and promote safer digital spaces for girls and women. Climate action also featured strongly, with innovations targeting smart agriculture, weather forecasting, and better management of electronic waste.

The hackathon also saw participants explore inclusive education and economic empowerment. Some teams developed AI-powered tutors in local languages and assistive technologies to support learners with disabilities, including children with autism. Others designed digital platforms aimed at increasing women’s participation in STEM fields and enhancing financial inclusion, reflecting a broader push to ensure that technology works for everyone. 

Notably, each team incorporated a Sheng language (Kenyan urban slang that mixes Swahili, English, and local languages) option into their solutions, demonstrating a strong commitment to accessibility, cultural relevance, and designing technology that speaks directly to the communities they come from and seek to serve.

Through tools such as rapid prototyping platforms, participants were able to design app interfaces, chatbots, and digital workflows, transforming ideas into tangible solutions within hours.

Award-Winning Innovation: Tulia Mama

Among the standout innovations was “Tulia Mama,” a digital platform supporting maternal mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The solution combines peer support networks, an AI-powered chatbot, connections to local healthcare providers, and a token-based voucher system to help mothers access essential medical services more affordably.

The project emerged as a top performer at the hackathon, winning multiple awards, including Best Overall Solution, highlighting both its impact and scalability.

Catherine Kabiru, Team Lead, reflects on the achievement: 

“Winning the Konza Hackathon is a powerful validation of our mission. It showed that maternal mental health is an urgent issue that technology can help to address. Leading this team reinforced my belief that when we build with empathy, we create solutions that are both meaningful and transformative.”

The hackathon drew support from a wide network of partners, including the UN Women Kenya’s African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), Plan International, Microsoft, the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) AI Institute, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and Strathmore University through its Africa Media Hub, as well as Paramount Chief (PC) Kinyanjui Technical Training Institute.

Mentors from these organizations guided participants through the innovation process, providing technical support and helping them refine their ideas into viable solutions.

Among the mentors and trainers guiding the girls during the hackathon was Annmaria Kerubo, a software engineer and alumna of the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI). She currently works at Malaica,  where she contributes to an AI system that supports pregnant women through personalized health messaging and early detection of potential health risks.

“Mentoring the team was an inspiring experience. Watching them turn a community challenge into an award-winning solution, taking home two categories, including Best Overall, was a reminder of technology’s power to create real impact.”  She said reflecting on her experience mentoring the Tulia Mama team.

“This is what technology is meant to do, empower people to turn ideas into solutions that create real impact. To every girl who is curious about technology: there is a place for you. Start where you are, keep learning, and trust that your ideas matter.” She added.

Annmaria  also emphasized her broader vision.

“My aspiration is to build AI solutions that simplify knowledge and make it accessible to everyone, regardless of their background. I am particularly passionate about bridging the digital gender divide and ensuring that more women and girls are not only consumers of technology but creators of it.” She said.

According to Dan Bazira UN Women’s Deputy Country Representative to Kenya, the initiative reflects a broader shift in how young women are engaging with technology.

“This year’s International Girls in ICT Day reminds us that girls are not just future leaders in technology; they are already shaping it. Through initiatives such as the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) and Digital Platforms Kenya (DigiKen), UN Women, working with partners, is expanding access to digital skills, innovation spaces, and mentorship." He said.

 "This is enabling girls to use AI to solve real‑world challenges in their communities- when girls are given opportunities in tech, they don't just close gaps; they create new paths and redefine what innovation looks like.” Mr. Bariza added.

While International Girls in ICT Day is marked annually, speakers emphasized that the hackathon is part of a longer-term strategy to build a pipeline of female tech leaders in Kenya and across Africa.

Top-performing teams will now be connected to mentorship programmes, incubation hubs, and advanced digital training platforms under initiatives such as DigiKen and Green & Digital Innovation Hub (gDIH). This ensures that promising ideas developed during the hackathon can be refined and potentially scaled into real-world applications.