UN Women Launches Third Phase of “African Girls Can Code” in Western Uganda, Championing Digital Inclusion

In a significant step towards bridging Uganda’s gender digital divide, UN Women, in partnership with the Government of Uganda and the African Union Commission, has officially launched the third phase of the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) at Mountains of the Moon University in Fort Portal. The week-long coding camp, which commenced on June 16 and concluded on June 25, immersed girls aged 17–25 in hands-on training in web development, robotics, animation, and other cutting-edge technological fields, while simultaneously nurturing their confidence and leadership skills to devise tech-driven solutions for local challenges.

The initiative, a collaborative effort between Kyebambe Girls’ Secondary School and Mountains of the Moon University, represents a transformative program designed to equip young women with crucial digital literacy and coding skills, preparing them for promising careers in technology, robotics, and innovation. The launch ceremony, held on the university grounds, convened a diverse group of key stakeholders from education, governance, and community leadership.

Mr. Bukenya Saad, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner, graced the event as the Chief Guest and applauded the initiative for opening new avenues for girls in the digital realm. “The future of innovation in Uganda depends on how we nurture the next generation of thinkers, coders, and creators. AGCCI is setting the pace by giving our girls the tools to thrive in the 21st-century economy,” he stated in his keynote address.

Professor John Kasenene, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Mountains of the Moon University, echoed the sentiment, emphasising the vital role of collaborative partnerships in advancing digital inclusion for girls. He reaffirmed the university’s unwavering commitment to supporting the initiative through mentorship, training, and technical assistance.

The African Girls Can Code Initiative is a flagship program jointly led by UN Women, the African Union Commission, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Its core objective is to train and empower adolescent girls with digital literacy, coding, and leadership skills, thereby preparing them for careers in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

Speaking on behalf of Dr. Paulina Chiwangu, the UN Women Uganda Country Representative, Grace Bulere Bulenzi, Programme Specialist for Governance and Gender Statistics at UN Women Uganda, articulated the broader vision of AGCCI. “AGCCI is more than a training programme, it is a movement to bridge the gender digital divide and cultivate a new generation of female technology leaders. These girls are not just learning to code, they are building the confidence and skills to lead Uganda and Africa’s digital transformation,” she asserted.

Bulere further explained that the Fort Portal coding camp builds upon the successful foundations laid by earlier AGCCI events in Uganda’s Northern and Karamoja regions. This third phase of AGCCI is strategically expanding its reach to Eastern and Western Uganda, aiming to empower 120 girls through residential coding camps and the establishment of dedicated computer hubs to ensure the sustainability of acquired skills. Kyebambe Girls’ Secondary School has been designated as one of six selected schools benefiting from the initiative, and it will serve as a regional Hub for girls in the Mid-Western Region to continually access crucial ICT skills. The Fort Portal coding camp marks a significant milestone in the nationwide implementation of AGCCI Phase III in Uganda.

To date, the initiative has positively impacted hundreds of girls across the country, consistently inspiring a new generation of tech-savvy young women who are poised to close the existing gender digital divide. As Uganda continues its journey towards comprehensive digital transformation, AGCCI plays a pivotal role in ensuring that girls are not merely consumers of technology but rather active creators, innovators, and leaders in shaping the nation’s digital future.