Girls who code, change the world: How Vuma and GirlCode are helping rewrite futures
Picture this: a classroom buzzing with excitement, young girls huddled around screens, eyes lighting up as their game characters take their first animated steps. These were the scenes at Enkolweni Primary School, Laerskool Leondale, Alston Primary School, and Thuto Pele Secondary School when a new crop of young female learners between the ages of 9 – 17 years old, from Grade 4 to Grade 10 learnt the magic of coding. The day was part of GirlCode, an organisation that teaches young women and girls digital skills and their partnership with Vuma on their career days programme. The initiative hosted 2,301 students from primary and high schools between August 2024 to March 2025. The primary objective of these career days is to provide an introduction to coding using Scratch, HTML, and CSS to the learners.
South Africa has a gender gap in STEM, and sitting on the sidelines helps no one. Vuma and GirlCode decided to get involved by bringing coding workshops to primary and high schools, particularly in underserved areas. Through this programme, young girls learn the skills required to build, create, and innovate. The programme doesn’t just teach them how to code but also how to think, problem-solve, and dream big.
At the heart of it all is Scratch, a beginner-friendly platform where students bring their ideas to life. They craft characters, design backgrounds, and program their creations to walk, talk, and interact. It’s coding without the intimidation, turning complex concepts into something fun and tangible. Beyond the code, these girls are learning resilience, creativity, and the ability to navigate an increasingly digital world.
The career days workshops achieved their objectives of teaching coding to primary and high school learners. Based on the success of these workshops it was recommended that they continue to organise similar workshops to reach more primary and high school learners across diverse communities. Implement feedback mechanisms to gather insights from students on how to further improve the content and delivery of upcoming career-focused initiatives.
For many of these girls, access to technology has always been a luxury. The idea of a tech career? A distant dream. But when a girl sees her code come to life for the first time, something shifts. The impossible starts feeling possible. And that’s what this programme is about. By showing these young minds that they belong in the world of technology and that they can be the next wave of innovators changing how we live, work, and connect.
“I first heard about coding from my daughter when she mentioned they were learning it at school. When I found out that Vuma and GirlCode were bringing coding to our school, my interest grew even more. In our community, many people are unemployed and uneducated, relying on learners to empower and educate them. I believe that by equipping our learners with the right technology skills, we can uplift the entire community,” says Samukelisiwe Nkosi, Mathematical Literacy Educator at Thuto Pele Secondary School.
“I believe it’s important that Vuma and GirlCode came to our school to teach young women about coding because women are often overlooked in the tech industry. We deserve the same opportunities as men to develop these skills. By learning together, we can create more opportunities for future generations,” says Khahliso Tshabalala, a student at Thuto Pele Secondary School.
Vuma has always been about connection, whether it’s through uncapped fibre, expanding fibre coverage, or ensuring seamless fibre installation. But the connection isn’t just about fast internet; it’s about access, empowerment, and opportunity. And that’s what makes this initiative so powerful.
The future of South Africa’s tech industry is being shaped in classrooms like these. One line of code at a time. One girl at a time. And with the right support, who knows? The next big innovation in fibre internet might just come from one of these bright young minds.
ENDS