As the G20 Summit concluded in Johannesburg last month, it was clear that digital transformation will only succeed if global commitments translate into tangible action. For GirlCode, this work is already well underway.
This year’s G20 Digital Transformation Taskforce, chaired by Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa, focused on expanding infrastructure, accelerating digital skills, and ensuring inclusive pathways into tech careers.
These priorities directly align with GirlCode’s mission to equip 10 million women with technology skills by 2030.
“Through partners such as Vumatel, we’re transforming policy into tangible impact. Vumatel provides free 1GB fibre to schools where GirlCode introduces coding education. This year, our collaboration has enabled us to introduce over 2 000 ambitious primary and high school girls to the world of coding, empowering them to become the next generation of technological leaders and innovators,” says Mkwanazi.
GirlCode has trained more than 80 000 girls and women since 2014 through coding clubs, bootcamps, learnerships, and hackathons, building one of the continent’s most consistent pipelines of female tech talent. Its hybrid training model, combining online access, in-person learning, and industry-linked pathways, mirrors the G20’s emphasis on lifelong learning, digital inclusion, and private-sector collaboration.
“Connectivity and skills are the first steps, but real transformation comes from creating robust employment pathways,” adds Mkwanazi. “Our programmes ensure that young women don’t just learn to code; they gain crucial access to internships, mentorship, and real jobs, turning potential into undeniable professional achievement.”
As South Africa advances the G20’s digital agenda, GirlCode stands as a working example of how multilateral commitments can be translated into meaningful, measurable change, ensuring African women are at the centre of the continent’s digital future.