Absa Kenya and GirlCode Join Forces to Equip 100 Young Women with Tech Skills Through Pan-African Hackathon

By Catherine Muema Last updated Aug 21, 2025

Absa Bank Kenya has announced a strategic partnership with GirlCode, a South African non-profit dedicated to bridging the gender gap in technology.

The collaboration aims to equip 100 young women in Kenya, aged 18–35, with vital tech and employability skills through the Absa ReadytoWork programme, culminating in the GirlCodeHack 2025, a Pan-African women-in-tech hackathon.

The initiative is part of a broader mission by GirlCode to expose 10 million women and girls to technology by 2030, a goal that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on quality education, gender equality, and decent work.

Hackathon to Tackle Real-World Tech Challenges

Scheduled for October 11–12, 2025, the hackathon will run simultaneously in seven African cities: Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Gaborone. Themed “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI,” this year’s competition encourages young women to develop solutions to pressing challenges across sectors that are shaping Africa’s digital future.

Participants will engage in an intense 30-hour innovation sprint, guided by experienced mentors from the tech industry. Competing in teams of two to four, entrants will have the chance to win a grand prize of KES 725,802 (approx. USD 5,600) and gain exposure to career pathways in high-growth tech domains.

Doubling Down on Impact

This year’s Kenyan cohort marks a significant expansion from 2024, when the initiative reached fewer than half the number of participants. The growth is fueled by Absa’s ReadytoWork platform—a mobile-first learning initiative designed to prepare young people for the job market by delivering digital, financial, and soft skills training.

“This hackathon is more than a competition—it’s a catalyst for transformation,” said Julius Kamau, Chief Operations and Digital Officer at Absa Bank Kenya. “By creating inclusive spaces like GirlCodeHack, we are investing in young Kenyan women as drivers of innovation and ensuring they have the tools to build real-world solutions.”

Building a Diverse and Inclusive Future

With the aim of nationwide inclusion, the initiative has been designed to draw applicants from diverse counties across Kenya. The hackathon is open to university students, recent graduates, and young professionals, offering a rare opportunity to build hands-on experience in tech, regardless of formal education background.

Tamu Dutuma, Absa Group’s Head of Strategy and Transformation, emphasized the bank’s commitment to inclusion: “We believe in technology that reflects the communities it serves. That means elevating young women—especially from underrepresented areas—into spaces where they can lead and innovate.”

Innovations with Purpose

In 2024, the GirlCodeHack attracted over 400 participants from five cities, with Kenya’s winning team creating a gamified web app to educate young women and girls on sexual and reproductive health. Other standout projects included a carbon footprint calculator, blockchain-based land registries, AI-powered mental health apps, and fraud detection tools for African SMEs—demonstrating the high caliber and social consciousness of the competitors.

“Our mission is not just about teaching women to code,” said Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO and Founder of GirlCode. “It’s about helping them see themselves as problem-solvers, innovators, and leaders. With Absa’s support, we’re scaling that impact faster than ever.”

Young women aged 18 to 35 interested in participating are encouraged to apply by August 8, 2025, via the ReadytoWork app, available for download on Android and iOS platforms. The app also provides access to free courses and learning materials designed to help prepare participants for the hackathon and beyond.