Absa Bank Kenya has partnered with GirlCode to roll out the 2025 edition of GirlCodeHack. A Pan-African women-in-tech hackathon to empower 100 young Kenyan women with vital technology skills.
This initiative forms part of Absa’s broader Ready-to-Work Programme. Committed to equipping youth with employability and digital capabilities across the continent.
Past innovations: From health tech to AI tools
Slated for October 11–12, 2025, the 30-hour innovation sprint will run concurrently across seven African cities—Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Gaborone. Under the theme “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI.”
The hackathon, which more than doubles last year’s Kenyan participation, is open to women aged 18 to 35, including university students, recent graduates, and young professionals. Teams of two to four will compete for a grand prize of KES 725,802, with mentorship support from top industry experts guiding them through the sprint.
“This hackathon is a gateway to opportunity. By creating inclusive spaces like GirlCodeHack, we are not only investing in the future of tech but also advancing key Sustainable Development Goals,” said Julius Kamau, Absa Kenya’s Chief Operations and Digital Officer.
Last year’s edition attracted over 400 women across five cities. Kenya’s winning team developed a gamified web platform for sexual and reproductive health education. Other standout solutions included an AI-powered mental health assistant, a carbon footprint tracker, and blockchain-based land registries.
Absa’s Head of Strategy and Transformation, Tamu Dutuma, reaffirmed the bank’s long-term commitment to diversity and inclusion. Saying that the program aims to boost female representation in Africa’s digital economy.
“With Absa’s partnership, we are scaling impact and ensuring more women see themselves not just as coders, but as problem-solvers, innovators, and leaders,” said Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO and Founder of GirlCode.
10 Million women by 2030: A bold vision
The hackathon aligns with GirlCode’s broader vision of exposing 10 million women and girls to technology by 2030, and targets county-level representation across Kenya to ensure equitable access.
Registration now open
Applications are open until August 8, 2025, via the ReadytoWork App, available on both Android and iOS platforms.