Empowering Tanzania’s Future Innovators: Inside the Code Like a Girl September 2025 Program
Location: Tanzania Data Lab (dLab), University of Dar es Salaam – CoICT Campus
Dates: September 9–12, 2025
Duration: 4 Days
At a time when technology shapes nearly every part of our lives, one question continues to inspire global conversations: How do we close the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)? For the Code Like a Girl initiative, the answer lies in empowering young women with the skills, confidence, and community to lead the future of tech innovation.
Breaking Barriers, Building Coders
In partnership with Vodacom Tanzania PLC, the Tanzania Data Lab (dLab) hosted the September 2025 Code Like a Girl training — a dynamic four-day workshop designed to inspire girls aged 14–18 to explore coding, web development, and digital innovation. The program aimed to challenge stereotypes that “STEM is for boys” and instead create a fun, inclusive, and empowering space for girls to discover technology as a career path.
This year’s cohort brought together 70 girls from diverse regions across Tanzania, including Dar es Salaam, Tabora, Mbeya, Musoma, and the Coast Region. Participants ranged from secondary school students to diploma and university learners, each carrying a shared curiosity and determination to learn.
Learning by Doing — The Four-Day Journey
Day 1: First Lines of Code
Guided by facilitators Ms. Sophia Ahmed and Mr. Paul Haule, the girls explored the fundamentals of computers, the Internet, and web technology. They learned how websites work, what makes a webpage, and even created their very first web page using HTML. The day also featured inspiring visits from Vodacom representatives who encouraged participants to embrace technology with passion and confidence.
Day 2: Design, Creativity, and User Experience
On the second day, participants dove deeper into HTML and CSS—the languages behind every web page. Through hands-on exercises, they designed colorful pages and learned how to style text, change layouts, and make their creations come to life. Later, they were introduced to User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) principles by Ms. Gladness Mwandry, discovering how design impacts usability and accessibility.
The day ended with group ideation sessions, where participants formed teams and brainstormed website ideas that could make real-world impact—from financial education platforms to tech startups and road safety awareness sites.
Day 3: Bringing Ideas to Life with Bootstrap
Day three was all about turning creativity into functioning websites. Using Bootstrap, participants customized ready-made templates and learned to tweak layouts, images, and content. They saw how HTML and CSS worked together in modern design frameworks, and by afternoon, each group was busy refining its project ahead of the final presentations.
Day 4: Showcasing Innovation
The final day was electric with energy as the twelve groups presented their projects before a panel of judges. The girls confidently demonstrated teamwork, presentation skills, and coding creativity. From anti-fraud platforms to financial literacy websites, their work reflected not only technical skill but also a desire to solve real community problems through technology.
Celebrating Innovation — The Winning Teams
🥇 1st Place: 6 Sisters Tech Company
This team developed a platform to help individuals and businesses detect, report, and prevent online scams. Their website integrates real-time alerts, verification tools, and community education — promoting safer digital spaces for all.
🥈 2nd Place: Taasisi ya Kutoa Elimu ya Fedha kwa Vijana (TKEFV)
TKEFV’s platform focuses on financial literacy for youth, helping young Tanzanians build skills in budgeting, saving, and responsible investing. Their website provides easy-to-understand educational resources tailored for youth empowerment.
🥉 3rd Place: Road Safety for All (RSFA)
RSFA created a road safety awareness website dedicated to reducing traffic accidents through education, awareness campaigns, and support for accident victims. The project highlighted community partnerships with organizations like Amref and Jubilee Insurance.
Beyond Coding: Impact and Reflections
Throughout the program, one thing stood out — the enthusiasm and unity among participants. Despite challenges like limited computers and time, the girls showed remarkable collaboration, creativity, and growth. Many expressed a desire for longer programs and continued mentorship opportunities.
“Nowadays the world is digitized,” said Mr. Samuel from Vodacom. “It is very important for young girls like you to have digital skills — use this opportunity well and become ambassadors for your peers.”
From learning syntax to pitching business ideas, the Code Like a Girl 2025 edition proved that empowering girls with technology isn’t just about coding—it’s about shaping the next generation of leaders, creators, and innovators.
About Code Like a Girl
The Code Like a Girl initiative is a global program by Vodacom designed to equip young women with practical coding skills and inspire them to pursue careers in technology. In Tanzania, the program is implemented in partnership with the Tanzania Data Lab (dLab) — a leading hub for data innovation, research, and digital capacity building.
Together, they are working to close the gender gap in STEM by creating inclusive learning environments where girls can learn, build, and lead.
Photo Gallery
👉 Scroll through moments of creativity, teamwork, and innovation from the Code Like a Girl September 2025 program.
- Learning HTML and CSS basics
- Group ideation and teamwork sessions
- Bootstrap website customization
- Final competition presentations
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