Approximately 50 girls from various parts of the Ghanaian capital Accra last week attended the Coders Hive coding camp for girls at the Methodist University College campus.
The event – the first of its kind in Ghana – was organised by STEMBees, and brought the girls together for a five-day camp that included courses in computer programming and engineering.
Coders Hive’s aim was to dispel the myth that coding and computer science are professions for males and too difficult for females, a notion the organisers said has plagued Africa for several decades and denied it priceless human resources.
“We hope to dispel these myths and give these girls the opportunity to experience the fascinating world of science first-hand. Hopefully, they may be inspired to further explore science-related fields when they go return to their schools,” said Linda Ansong, a director of STEMBees and an an alumni of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST).
Participating girls spent day one taking part in coding challenges, where they were introduced to basic web development and each girl built her first webpage. They also took part in tech and engineering experiments and empowerment sessions.
Coders Hive was made possible through STEMBees partnerships with DevCongress, WeTech, Centerlink, Liberty Professionals, and the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA).
