South African Girls Learn AI, Coding at Tech Innovation Day

For many young girls from South African townships, technology has always felt like something distant, something made by others. That changed on April 23 when learners gathered in Bryanston, Johannesburg for the second annual Girls in ICT Day, hosted by HONOR and the Association of Comms and Technology.

Under the theme "AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future," the program brought together girls who typically face barriers like limited device access and connectivity. Through hands-on workshops on AI and mobile technology, participants didn't just learn about tech—they built it.

The selection process itself was intentional. HONOR partnered with community organizations like the Siyafunda Community Technology Center to identify girls from underserved schools who would benefit most from the exposure.

"Our goal was to create meaningful exposure for young girls who may never have had direct access to a corporate technology environment," explained Slindokuhle Mbuyisa, HONOR's Public Affairs and Government Relations Manager. Many arrived seeing technology as foreign territory but left understanding that careers in AI, coding, and robotics were within their reach.

The transformation wasn't just about learning new skills. It was about reshaping what these girls believed was possible for themselves.

The Ripple Effect

The real barrier isn't ability—it's belief. Nomvuyiso Batyi, CEO of ACT, sees this pattern repeatedly: girls internalize the idea that technology isn't for them long before they understand what the field offers, shaped by stereotypes and missing role models.

That's why initiatives like Girls in ICT Day focus on sustained intervention rather than one-time inspiration. The partnership between HONOR and ACT is building long-term pathways that link exposure to mentorship, skills development, and continued access to digital tools.

The impact extends beyond individual participants. When girls from townships see themselves as future developers and innovators rather than just technology consumers, they begin changing the face of South Africa's digital economy.

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi reinforced this vision at the event. "To truly transform the future of our country and the tech industry, we must open the doors wide for young women to enter and lead these spaces," he said.

HONOR South Africa CEO Zhou Lefeng reminded learners of their immediate potential. "Being young is defined by possibility," he told participants. "You are not only the future of tomorrow, but active contributors to today."

The program starts early—at primary school level—because waiting until high school means many girls have already disengaged from STEM pathways. By creating spaces where township girls can imagine themselves as technology creators, South Africa is building a more inclusive digital future, one workshop at a time.