Five ways African Girls Can Code is changing young women's lives in South Africa

In townships and rural areas across South Africa, young women are discovering they belong in spaces they may never have imagined entering. From Soshanguve and Ga-Malebogo in Limpopo to the Northern Cape, the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) is not just teaching young women coding; it's rewriting the narrative of what's possible for girls in tech. AGCCI alumni like Victoria Phago, Mohau Makhwiting, and Trinita Mohammed reveal the five transformative impacts of the initiative.

1. Closing the digital gender gap through building foundational skills

For many participants, AGCCI represents their first meaningful encounter with coding and robotics. Victoria Phago from Soshanguwe, now a student in her final year of Information Technology at Tshwane North TVET College, had never used a computer before starting her tertiary studies. She is part of the 2024 AGCCI South Africa cohort. "Before I started my first year of tertiary studies in January 2023, I didn't even know how to turn on a laptop. At home, we only had cell phones," she recalls. 

Mohau Makhwiting's experience echoes this reality. Despite having a laptop at home, it remained untouched - a symbol of opportunity just out of reach. "I didn't even know what Windows was. I didn't know what an email was," she explains. Through the AGCCI coding camp in July 2023, she gained a wealth of knowledge, from the basics of keyboard skills to understanding email, online meetings, and coding.

For Trinita Mohammed, who participated in the programme right after turning 17 in September 2023, the experience was transformative in unexpected ways. “After participating in the programme, opportunities opened up for me,” she says. One of those was a trip to Germany on a tour organized by AGCCI's co-donor, Siemens. “I got to meet so many qualified people there and even taught kids how to code. Learning how to code was probably the best part."

The programme systematically addresses the digital divide, ensuring that a lack of prior exposure doesn't become a permanent obstacle. By starting with fundamentals and building on them, AGCCI creates a foundation that enables young women to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

2. Challenging gender stereotypes and cultural expectations

One of the pillars of AGCCI is exposing young women to new possibilities. Mohau grew up in a community where traditional gender roles limited girls' opportunities. "As a girl, you were expected to fetch water, not to study or dream of leading a business," she explains. "Even if you had a brother, he wouldn't do these tasks because society saw him as the provider, even when he wasn't providing." The programme creates a counter-narrative, showing participants that they belong in tech spaces. 

Victoria's confidence grew when she met tech leaders, "After the camp, I travelled to Sandton for the first time (for the Huawei Girls in ICT Day in 2025, hosting AGCCI alumni) and got to meet the Chief Operating Officer of Huawei South Africa. That moment made me feel like I belong in those spaces too." Through exposure to female role models and mentors, AGCCI demonstrates that technology isn't just a male domain - it's a space where women can lead, innovate, and excel. As Trinita reflects, "AGCCI supports young women who have a love for technology, but it's also a community where young women, like me, learn how to be the best versions of themselves and how to strive in this male-dominated world with all the mentors right behind us."

3. Building unshakeable self-confidence

Perhaps no transformation is more profound than the confidence these young women gain. Trinita describes the dramatic shift: "Through this programme I gained confidence, which I lacked a lot. For the people who are a part of the programme to notice me, I had to untuck my tail and go headfirst, which not only opened a lot of doors for me but also allowed me to meet some amazing people and learn from them."

Victoria's journey from someone who "didn't know much about IT at all" to becoming a mentor herself exemplifies this transformation. The programme doesn't just teach technical skills, it teaches participants to believe in themselves.

AGCCI even incorporates mindset work that participants initially resist but later embrace. It has become a firm tradition that at the start of each day at the coding bootcamps, the girls recite affirmations to boost their self-confidence and morale.  "I used to think affirmations were silly," Victoria admits, "But they taught us to breathe, to affirm ourselves. I started using it during exams, and it helped me stay calm and focused."

4. Creating pathways to higher education and career opportunities

The programme's impact extends far beyond the bootcamp experience, influencing major life decisions and opening doors to opportunities that seemed impossible before.  Mohau credits AGCCI with giving her direction, "Before the programme, I wanted to study, but I didn't believe my marks were good enough, so the window of opportunity for applying passed,” she explains, “I didn't have confidence. If I had joined AGCCI earlier, I would have applied for medicine without fear.” She went on to choose another field of study in STEM and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Analytical Chemistry at Nelson Mandela University. 

Victoria's trajectory from someone who stumbled into IT to becoming passionate about innovation demonstrates how AGCCI reveals hidden potential. "AGCCI helped me realize that Information Technology isn't just one thing, it’s a broad study area. It's innovation, entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, design thinking, and many other careers. That's where I found myself."

Trinita's path led her to study Information Technology Communication at Sol Plaatjie University in the Northern Cape, where she continues to build on the foundation AGCCI provided. Her love for technology has only grown stronger since the programme.

AGCCI creates a pipeline effect, with participants not just pursuing STEM education but actively choosing it with confidence and clarity about their futures.

5. Fostering a community of support and mentorship

Beyond individual transformation, AGCCI creates a lasting community of support. The programme teaches participants that success isn't a solitary journey. "We learned that we can't do everything alone. But together, as women, we are strong," Mohau reflects.

This community aspect becomes self-perpetuating. Victoria now mentors other girls in robotics, saying, "This opportunity is important to me because I was one of those girls who had never seen a robot or coded before. I want to be the person who opens that door for someone else."

Trinita beautifully captures this community spirit and its lasting impact, "The women, all my mentors as well as my peers, played a huge role in who I am today. My love for technology only grew more. AGCCI supports young women who have a love for technology, but it's also a community where young women, like me, learn how to be the best versions of themselves and how to strive in this male-dominated world with all the mentors right behind us. If that's what young women are looking for, then AGCCI is the place."

Creating lasting change

The transformation these women describe goes beyond individual success stories. Victoria travels across South Africa as a mentee to one of the AGCCI facilitators to train schoolchildren in STEM, expanding her impact to the next generation. Mohau chooses STEM education with newfound confidence. Trinita studies ICT at Sol Plaatjie University, carrying forward the programme's mission. "The person I was at 17 would be stunned to meet the person I am now," Trinita reflects, "I gained so much knowledge and confidence from participating in the AGCCI programme, and I grew so much as a woman."

As Victoria puts it, "AGCCI opened doors I never imagined. I'm not just studying IT anymore. I'm an innovator, and I want to show other girls they can be one too." In a country where gender inequality and limited access to technology have historically excluded many young women from STEM fields, AGCCI is proving that with the right support, encouragement, and community, transformation is not just possible it's inevitable. The programme's success lies not just in teaching code, but in coding a new reality where South African girls see themselves as innovators, leaders, and changemakers in the technology sector.

African Girls Can Code Initiative in South Africa is a partnership between UN Women South Africa, the Department of Basic Education, the Department of Science and Innovation, and the Department of Higher Education. It is supported by Siemens. UN Women and the African Union Commission (AUC), in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), launched the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) in 2018. The programme aims to train and empower a minimum of 2000 girls aged 17 to 25 across Africa to become computer programmers, creators, designers, and more. The South African cohort is part of a larger group of girls on the continent who have received similar training in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Burundi, Mali, Niger, DRC, and Senegal.