UN Women Kenya in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the African Union Commission (AUC), is seeking to transform communities by investing in girls’ digital education and leadership.
This is through the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) that seeks to equip Kenyan girls and young women aged between 14 – 25 with coding, ICT, digital innovation and entrepreneurship, equitable access to digital education, gender-inclusive digital transformation, safe and meaningful participation of young women in digital spaces and leadership skills.
In Africa, with the support of governments such as Denmark, Belgium, Finland, Germany and partners like Siemens AG, the initiative has trained over 1,200 young women across Africa.
In Kenya, AGCCI that has been running since 2022 has already reached 213 girls and young women, giving them the tools to thrive as digital creators, innovators, and leaders.
Through intensive coding camps, mentorship, and training on gender equality, the initiative inspires a new generation of young women to lead change in their communities.
“AGCCI directly advances the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016 – 2025) and Africa Union’s Agenda 2063, driving progress on gender equality, digital transformation, and youth empowerment across the continent.
“UN Women is championing the advancement of youth employment by creating meaningful work opportunities for AGCCI graduates to lead the digital economy while reinforcing the initiative’s commitment to sustainability, youth leadership, and intergenerational collaboration,” said Dan Bazira, Deputy Country Representative for UN Women in Kenya.
Past graduates have secured jobs with leading institutions such as Siemens, Safaricom, CYBER RANGES, the Kenya School of Government, Kisumu Law Courts, and Zone 01, while others have launched impactful community initiatives such as digital literacy programs for underserved children in Meru, and innovative awareness campaigns on cybersecurity and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).
Alumni-led movements such as Shield Maidens and the Space Shift Initiative are now championing safer, more inclusive digital spaces for young women and girls.
By deepening partnerships with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy, the Ministry of Gender, and other key actors, AGCCI 2025 continues to ensure national ownership, scalability, and impact.
The initiative will continue to nurture an inclusive pipeline of young women innovators who are shaping Kenya’s digital economy and contributing to the realisation of Kenya Vision 2030, SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).