African IT has come a long way in the last 20 years and has relied on entrepreneurs like Dorcas Muthoni to have vision and tenacity. When she was just 24 she founded a Kenyan Tech company that is now world-leading. Every country in the African Union uses some of her software. As well as being a successful businesswoman, with a degree in computer science (where she specialised in networks) she is also a championing getting more girls into African tech jobs.  Dorcas started AfChix, in 2004, a group who champion Computer Science and IT for girls and young women. They organise conferences, courses and mentoring in Senegal, Morocco, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi…. and many more African countries.

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CLASSROOM IDEAS

Geography.  Research where in Africa AfChix have chapters (and across the world). Find out if there is a LinuxChix chapter or other group who support women in tech near where you live.  Find out how technology has and is changing lives in rural Africa.

 

This work was supported by the Institute of Coding, which is supported by the Office for Students (OfS).

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