She Code Africa: Celebrating Women in Tech
In 2016, a young woman fresh out of high school had a vision. She aspired to excel in the tech industry but was faced with countless challenges and a lack of platforms to support her goals. Undaunted, she decided to take matters into her own hands and create a community. She Code Africa was born, and from humble beginnings, it has grown into a thriving hub with over 36,000 members.
The founder's vision was clear: empower and celebrate women in Tech across Africa, bridge the gender gap, and provide a safe space for women to engage in unique and personal conversations about life and their careers.
Joining the She Code Africa community is a simple process. Many discover it through word of mouth from friends, colleagues, or family. Others find it through social media or partnerships with organizations. To join, interested individuals visit the She Code Africa website, enter their name and email, and receive a link to join the Slack community. This straightforward process ensures that women in Africa have access to a safe space to discuss tech-related topics and support one another.
One of the driving forces behind She Code Africa's success is its partnerships. Collaborations with organizations like Google have empowered 500 women across Africa with tech skills, paving the way for future employment and financial freedom. Beyond tech, the community offers benefits like discounted gym memberships, deep conversations, weekly newsletters, social mixers, and discussions on the latest tech trends.
She Code Africa provides a diverse set of education options, combining in-person and online resources to reach women wherever they are. Their chapter program, spanning 47 countries, facilitates in-person events and campaigns that advocate for STEM education in secondary schools and universities, ensuring that women have access to educational resources and support to advance their skills and careers.
In the She Code Africa community, a unique initiative stands out: the 'Super Queen of the Month.' This program empowers a community member to take on key responsibilities and enjoy admin superpowers for a month. This initiative not only fosters active community involvement but also allows community members to lead and manage the community when the primary admin is away. It has become a successful and empowering part of the community culture, making tasks more manageable and fostering a sense of ownership among members.
One of the community’s key associates, Maryblessing Okolie, is tailoring community building strategies she has learned to the African context. She highlights the need to consider factors like internet bandwidth limitations, adapting video resolution for online events to accommodate lower bandwidth, and showcasing the need for context-specific adjustments.
Looking forward, Maryblessing is committed to upskilling, seeking more speaking engagements, and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Her aspiration is to become a community consultant while continuing to make a positive impact on communities and share her experiences, reflecting her enthusiasm and dedication to personal and professional growth.
She Code Africa's journey is a powerful example of community building in empowering African women in tech. Through partnerships, tailored strategies, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, the community is making a difference and inspiring women to thrive in the world of technology. Watch the full interview below.
ABOUT MARYBLESSING OKOLIE
Maryblessing is a community architect and an advocate. She is passionate about building sustainable tech communities with a focus on advocating for diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace and community at large. She is an Open Source advocate, actively contributing to the CHAOSS project through its Africa chapter, and currently leading the Tour Guide program in CHAOSS.
Maryblessing currently is a community associate at She Code Africa, an organisation committed to supporting and empowering women in their Tech journey.
Show Notes
The Origin of She Code Africa (0:33): She Code Africa was founded in 2016 by a young woman who had just finished high school and aspired to excel in the tech space. Today it boasts over 36,000 members, empowering and celebrating women in Tech across Africa, bridging the gender gap and providing a safe space for women to have unique and personal conversations about life and their careers.
Partnerships and Support for She Code Africa (9:08): Through partnerships with organizations like Google, She Code Africa empowers 500 women across Africa with tech skills for future employment and financial freedom. The community also collaborates with other partners for benefits like discounted gym memberships.
Empowering Super Queens in the She Code Africa Community (17:22): Within the community, a unique initiative involves recognizing and empowering a 'Super Queen of the Month.' This member takes over key responsibilities and enjoys admin superpowers for a month. The initiative not only encourages active community involvement but also allows community members to lead and manage the community in the absence of the primary admin.
Contributing to the Chaoss Open Source Project (25:32): Maryblessing is actively involved in the Chaoss open source project, a Linux Foundation initiative. Chaoss focuses on developing metrics that help open source communities become more sustainable. These metrics cover diversity, event inclusivity, accessibility, and more.
Looking Forward: Upskilling and Speaking Engagements (42:17): Maryblessing expresses her plans for the future, which include upskilling, seeking more speaking engagements, and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She aspires to become a community consultant while continuing to make a positive impact on communities and share her experiences. Maryblessing's enthusiasm and dedication are evident in her vision for personal and professional growth.
