GirlHype: The South African nonprofit providing women and girls with the skills needed to succeed in tech
In 2023, 65% of women used the internet compared to 70% of men, translating to 244 million more men than women. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the digital divide is particularly prominent and has shown the slowest improvement compared to other regions. In 2023, 32% of women used the internet compared to 42% of men, and a 37% gender gap existed in mobile internet services, with over 190 million women lacking access. The gap is driven by several factors, including the costs associated with acquiring devices and data plans, as well as the lower financial capacity and digital literacy of women. In South Africa, low levels of digital literacy are combined with low levels of economic participation among women, with roughly 45% of women outside of the labor market. The country is also experiencing a skills shortage, outsourcing 300,000 tech jobs to overseas workers.
Nonprofit GirlHype was founded in 2003 with the purpose of “giving girls from disadvantaged backgrounds the power and skills to pursue careers in tech and build a long and lasting successful career in the tech industry.” Based in South Africa and invested in strengthening local talent, the company provides girls with the required training to launch tech careers through coursework and hands-on computer science experience. GirlHype pursues its goal through three initiatives. Code Clubs are affiliated with institutions such as schools, libraries, or nonprofits and offer girls in grades 6-12 the space, equipment, and coding curriculum to gain skills. The GirlHype Technovation is an online, twelve-week youth entrepreneurship program that offers the training needed for girls aged 10 to 18 to become tech entrepreneurs and leaders. The program prepares participants to propose an idea that addresses an issue in their communities, build a business plan, and construct a mobile app. Finally, GirlHype, founder and CEO until February 2024, Baratang Miya, serves as a regional coordinator for five UN Women-Mozilla Foundation Women and Girls Clubs in Cape Town, which focus on increasing web literacy among women.
As of March 2024, GirlHype has reached 1 million girls through its interventions. In early 2024, the nonprofit won 100,000 RAND (~US$ 5,500) in TymeBank’s “Take Center Stage” competition, which current CEO Thoko Miya plans to use to further digitize and scale the organization within and beyond South Africa. By increasing digital literacy among women and girls, GirlHype facilitates both long-term career prospects and day-to-day access to essential services. With the increasing digitization of sectors such as healthcare, education, and financial services, these skills are vital to ensure women are healthy, financially capable, well-informed, and protected.
