Fighting Gender Inequality in Tech: One Girl at a Time

As I sat in the audience, listening to the founder of iGnite Technological Hub, Tebogo Phungwayo, talk about the launch of the Coderdojo Girls Code Programme, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and hope for the future of women in tech. The programme, which aims to equip local young girls with technological skills such as coding and programming, is a much-needed initiative in a industry where women are woefully underrepresented.

Caption: Young girls learning to code.

Phungwayo’s passion for the project is palpable, and it’s clear that she is driven by a desire to create a more inclusive and diverse tech industry. As she put it, “With the initiative we’re launching today, we hope to teach children the fundamentals of coding and robotics at a young age. Furthermore, by doing this, we hope to increase the number of female tech representatives in the industry.”

The programme is not just about teaching girls how to code, but also about empowering them to take control of their own futures. As Phungwayo noted, “We prefer not to select someone with no knowledge but rather someone who is passionate about the programme because this is an opportunity that will take the young girls far.”

Caption: Tebogo Phungwayo, founder of iGnite Technological Hub.

The programme has already gained the support of several stakeholders, including Village Tech, Echoes of 76, South West Gauteng College (SWGC), and Safe Hub Cafe. Bontle Ramatsetse, founder and director of Village Tech, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, saying, “To all the young ladies who are part of the programme, I would like to say to them they shouldn’t give up. This journey is not going to be easy, learning coding is not easy especially if you don’t have any background in ICT but they must stay in the course because what they are going to learn is going to set them up for life.”

Caption: Bontle Ramatsetse, founder and director of Village Tech.

As I left the launch event, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of optimism about the future of women in tech. With initiatives like the Coderdojo Girls Code Programme, we are one step closer to creating a more inclusive and diverse industry. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll see a world where women are just as represented in tech as men.

“Most of our careers right now have integrated ICT and there is also a great shortage of ICT professionals in the country. So with these skills they can became whatever they want to be in the new digital economy.” - Bontle Ramatsetse

Caption: Girls learning to code.