Digital skill gap solutions for Black girls

💻 What if I told you that one of the loudest voices shaping the future of tech didn’t come from Silicon Valley… but from an African woman who once couldn’t read or write until the age of 16? 🤯 We all love success stories. Especially when they break stereotypes and show us that brilliance knows no borders. When you hear “tech founder,” chances are you imagine a hoodie-wearing coder in California, laptop glowing with algorithms and venture capital behind them. After all, tech is deeply rooted in Western culture. But here’s the twist: 🌍 technology is also being redefined in Africa — not just as consumers, but as creators. And one woman is leading this charge: Mariéme Jamme, founder of iamtheCODE Foundation. 🇸🇳➡️🌐 Mariéme’s story is as powerful as it is inspiring: 👉 Grew up in Senegal and faced immense challenges, including not being able to read or write until her mid-teens. 👉 Taught herself coding and went on to become a tech entrepreneur and global thought leader. 👉 Founded iamtheCODE, the first African-led global movement to teach 1 million girls how to code by 2030. 👉 Focuses on STEAMD skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Design) to unlock opportunities for underprivileged girls across Africa, South America, and the Middle East. 👉 Her foundation partners with governments, multinationals, and local communities to create scalable, sustainable programs. 👉 She now sits on the World Wide Web Foundation Board alongside global internet pioneers. 👉 Recognized as one of BBC’s 100 Women, a testament to her impact and leadership. What struck me most? She isn’t just teaching girls to code — she’s showing them they belong in the digital economy, rewriting the narrative of who gets to innovate. And her vision goes beyond classrooms and laptops: ✨ Build a global movement where no girl is left behind in the digital era. ✨ Shift the mindset from “users of tech” to “creators of tech.” ✨ Prove that with the right skills and confidence, even the most underprivileged communities can produce the next innovators, scientists, and leaders. From struggling to read as a child… to teaching a generation of girls how to code the future. If that’s not resilience, vision, and African excellence, then what is? 💡 👏 Mariéme’s journey is proof that our beginnings don’t define our endings, and that technology can be a tool for equality, not just profit. (pin this) 👉 If you ever come across iamtheCODE, know that it’s more than a foundation — it’s a movement rewriting the story of women in tech worldwide. 💬 What lesson do you take from Mariéme’s journey? Drop your thoughts in the comments — and let’s amplify more African stories like hers. #AfricanExcellence #WomenInTech #Coding #Inspiration #STEAMDEducation #LinkedInAfrica #SuccessStories

If your child's future doctor is an algorithm, will you ask who trained it? AI is rewriting education and healthcare. But what happens when it can't recognize your language, your pain, or your story? Bill Gates says AI will replace doctors and teachers in the next decade. But my question is: who's building these systems? Who is coding our future? 🏥 In healthcare, AI chatbots are already repeating racist myths about Black patients—misjudging pain levels, kidney function, and even skin tone. When algorithms misdiagnose, people don't just lose trust. They lose lives. In education, yes, AI tutors can boost test scores 💯 (the OECD says so). But they can also create "Google Maps brains." If you are an avid Google Maps user like me, how great are you at navigating without it? I get lost going around the corner. ⭕ Similarly, students ace tasks with AI guidance but can't navigate complex problems independently. AI tutors help students pass tests but fail communities. They can't interpret AAVE or culturally specific references. The exclusion isn't loud. It's quiet. And that's the danger. At Black Girls Code, our learners build and test real AI 👩🏾💻 from chatbots to machine learning. And yes, we will be forcing "AI timeouts." They solve problems on paper first, then compare their logic to ChatGPT's output to spot the gaps and biases for themselves. We're not here to be saved from AI but to shape it. 💫 🦋 When you ask yourself who is coding your future, are you comfortable with the answer? If it’s no, what are you doing about it? 🦾 #BlackGirlsCode #AI #Education #Healthcare #WhoisCodingYourFuture https://lnkd.in/gNSHAKjP

This Ghanaian software developer turned down a comfortable corporate path to build the first coding and design school for children and young adults in West Africa. Today, she’s training a new generation of women and girls to thrive in tech. Meet Regina Honu. The Code Catalyst Regina Honu is breaking the cycle of exclusion in Africa’s tech industry. From being the only woman in many tech rooms to ensuring no girl feels that way again. Born in Ghana, she attended Holy Child High School and later graduated from Ashesi University with a degree in Computer Science. After working in software development, she realized something troubling: Too few girls had access to tech education, and many didn’t even know it was an option. So, she walked away from her corporate career to change that reality. In 2012, she founded Soronko Solutions, a software company built with a social mission. By 2017, she launched Soronko Academy, the first coding and human-centered design school for children and young adults in West Africa. “I wanted girls to see that they could create technology, not just consume it.” That vision led to the Tech Needs Girls movement, a program that teaches girls in Ghana and Burkina Faso how to code, solve problems, and build confidence. So far, she has trained over 20,000 women and girls in digital skills. Under her leadership, the Soronko Foundation continues to break barriers and create access in communities often left behind by the digital revolution. Regina Honu’s growing impact includes: 1. Soronko Academy – pioneering coding and design education in West Africa 2. Tech Needs Girls – a grassroots movement training thousands of young girls 3. Autism Tech Initiatives – using technology to support autism awareness and care 4. Global Platforms – featured by CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, and The Gates Foundation 5. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg – her journey was published as a case study in leadership 6. Vlisco Brand Ambassador – named as a leading woman of inspiration in 2016 She’s not just teaching code, she’s teaching possibility. A girl who learns to code today might become tomorrow’s innovator, problem-solver, or founder because someone like Regina believed she could. From Accra classrooms to global stages, Regina Honu’s story is one of courage, community, and coding for change. She’s not just building tech talent. She’s building a future where no one is left out. What stands out most to you in Regina Honu’s journey?