ZANDILE MKWANAZI GIRLCODE

ZANDILE MKWANAZI IS THE CEO OF GIRLCODE , an NPO aspiring to become Africa’s leading digital and innovation hub for young girls and women who want to get into tech.

‘I started my journey into the tech world in 2013 as an intern at the Johannesburg Centre for So ware Engineering on its Coachlab Programme. e work didn’t correspond with what

I was studying, but I thought it an opportunity to acquire skills I’d later need in the workplace. Devising solutions using code sparked my passion for tech. I learnt how to build apps using Youtube, followed by a patient registry solution that I entered into the SA Innovation Summit awards, where it was one of the top ten nalists. I owe my initial success and passion for coding to the centre’s founder Dr Barry Dwolatzky for allowing me to be part of the programme.

‘In 2014, I started working at Boxfusion and attending tech events and hackathons where I realised I was either the only woman there or one of a few. at was disheartening, so

I looked for other women in tech. I asked my manager if we could host a women’s-only hackathon, to which he readily agreed – and that was how we started Girlcode.

‘Following the success of our rst one, it became an annual event, attracting more women each year, mostly university students studying an It-related degree. It was then that we realised Girlcode could also be a platform that engages women in tech, facilitates the advancement of their skills in the industry and encourages other people to join the tech revolution.

‘Girlcode has implemented various training and outreach programmes over the years and, since its inception, has impacted over 60 000 women by delivering them the bene ts of IT to communities. Our initial o ering was, of course, a women’s-only hackathon, which continues to run today. In 2019, that event evolved from a physical one to an online one in response to Covid-19.

‘We started with 20 girls in Pretoria, and we’ve since hosted over 400 students in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town concurrently over the rst weekend of August to coincide with Women’s Month celebrations. We hope to grow the initiative in 2022, as we plan to host it in 10 African countries simultaneously during International Women’s Month.

‘Corporations recruit from a pool of competition entrants at our events. We realised many girls are unsuccessful during the rst phase of an interview due to a lack of adequate technical skills required by corporations.

So, we introduced Girlcoder Workshops for university students, which require them to complete projects and upskill their technical abilities. We also introduced entry level coding and robotics to prepare primary and high school girls to compete on the global stage. Tech is advancing rapidly, and it’s here to stay, so we must prepare children for jobs in the future that may not even exist yet.’

Girlcode has pledged to teach 10 million girls over the next ten years and has built an Edtech platform for coding classes from primary to university. ‘ at’ll mean we can enrol more women and girls in our online programs and teach coding without the restriction of physical connection. Partnerships with companies such as Vuma, a leading bre provider, will also increase our reach as more communities and schools become connected. Vuma has partnered with Girlcode as part of its commitment to driving crucial conversations, bringing communities together and creating opportunities for greatness. ’

One of the biggest challenges in introducing computer science to disadvantaged communities is a lack of infrastructure. ‘Not many people living in these communities have access to a computer or laptop. Over the past year, we’ve donated 30 laptops to university students via our corporate partners. We hope to form even more partnerships in which a corporation can donate pre-loved laptops when it upgrades its employees’ or undergoes a new device purchase phase. at means more of our bene ciaries will have access to our programs.

‘Data cost is another factor that hinders our e orts. We can’t reach learners if they can’t a ord it, so we’re working on making our education platform zero-rated across all networks. We’re appealing to service providers not to charge a fee, so our bene ciaries may access our platform.

‘I’ve had tearful moments when I’ve witnessed how resilient and strong some of our girls are, having come from an impoverished background. ey refuse to let their circumstances stop them from seizing an opportunity. at, for me, is how you change your narrative. You can have all the opportunities in the world, but if you’re not willing to show up for yourself, nothing will change.’