From Tech Consumers to Creators: Inside Tanzania’s Code Like a Girl Training.
In a decisive effort to close the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Tanzania Data Lab (dLab) in partnership with Vodacom Tanzania successfully conducted an intensive four-day Code Like a Girl training program from September 8th to 11th, 2026.
Hosted at the UDSM-CoICT campus, the workshop equipped 148 young women aged 14–18 with foundational digital skills needed to thrive in the modern technology landscape.
A Rigorous, hands-on curriculum over the four-day event, participants transitioned from tech consumers to active creators, the comprehensive syllabus focused on five key areas: HTML, CSS, UI/UX (User Experience) that is Understanding user-centric design principles to build intuitive interfaces, Bootstrap, and Presentation Skills.
The program also welcomed 14 participants with hearing impairments into a dedicated, fully facilitated classroom space supported by professional sign language translators, Mr. Jafari Shabani and Ms. Amina Subra.
A student with hearing impairments, explaining on her training takeaway with the assistance of Ms. Amina Subra.
This inclusive framework ensured every student, regardless of physical ability, could completely engage with the complex technical material. Furthermore, students were highly praised by coordinators for demonstrating exceptional discipline, teamwork, and analytical focus throughout the intense technical sessions.
Celebrating Innovation and Future Milestones, the workshop culminated in a high-stakes group project competition where teams pitched and demonstrated fully functional websites built from scratch.
Among the standout achievements, Laurencia Mahadhi was awarded the Best Presenter award for her articulate and technical showcase, presented alongside dLab Administrative Officer Mr. Nguza Kinonda.
Laurence Mahadhi in the middle being presented her award by Mr. Nguza (on the left) and Mr. Paul (on the right)
Graduates left the event certified, equipped with their personal source code, and prepared to act as STEM ambassadors within their respective local communities across Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, and the Coastal region.
A group photo of students holding their certificates during the last day of the training