From 23 July to 4 August 2025, UN Women, in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT), the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), held the third edition of the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) coding bootcamp in Rwanda. This year’s camp hosted 120 high-achieving girls from varied backgrounds and districts across the country, including those living with disabilities. The participants were selected based on their outstanding performance in national examinations, and took part in the two-week intensive programme focused on foundational trainings in coding, robotics, and gender equality.
This year`s bootcamp marks a significant scale-up from previous editions, which trained 50 girls in 2023 and 75 in 2024, reflecting the initiative’s growing impact and commitment to closing the gender gap in digital and STEM fields. Aligned with national development priorities under the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), including the flagship One Million Coders Initiative, which seeks to produce one million tech experts in Rwanda by 2029, the AGCCI equips young girls with the technical and leadership skills needed to thrive as future innovators and leaders within the digital economy.
Defying limitations and redefining possibility, Emelyn Iragena and Dushimimana Angel, two remarkable young girls living with unique physical conditions, proved that disability is no barrier to ambition. Over the course of the two-week bootcamp, their resilience, intellect, and vision shone brightly, inspiring many others around them. This is their story.
“I Will Keep Going”: Emelyn’s story of courage, curiosity, and coding toward her dreams
At just 15 years old, Emelyn Iragena from Rwamagana is charting a path of resilience, courage, and transformation. A student at Ecole Secondaire Muhazi and one of the standout participants in the 3rd cohort of the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), Emelyn represents the silent resilience of girls who refuse to give up, no matter the odds.
Emelyn comes from a large family of ten children, five of whom are alive today. “I’m the tenth,” she says quietly. “And five of my siblings passed away.” She has both parents, but family life hasn’t always been easy. “In the community, especially among extended family members, people can be very harsh,” she shares, “But at school, I feel free. My teachers and classmates are kind, and they make me feel like I belong.”
When Emelyn received the news that she had been selected for the AGCCI bootcamp, it was more than just a new experience, it was a breakthrough moment, “I was so happy, and my parents were too. I had never really been to Kigali before, only passed through on the way to visit family in Rulindo. This was my first time really seeing the city.”
From the Amahoro Stadium to the Kigali Convention Centre, Emelyn soaked up every moment, but it was the visits to the Innovation Hubs at Carnegie Mellon University Africa and Fablab that truly opened her eyes, “I was thrilled to see how you can print your own art pieces in 3D, and I learned how old batteries can be recycled. I am excited to share this knowledge back home. Before, I thought you had to go outside the country to do that.”
At the bootcamp, Emelyn acquired knowledge and skills in a series of subject areas including emerging technologies, coding, robotics, and cybersecurity, but more importantly, she discovered a vision for her future. “I’ve always wanted to become a doctor, specifically an orthopedic surgeon, a doctor specialized in bones, so I can help people like me with physical disability” she says with a smile. “Now I see how AI and technology can help doctors do surgery more effectively. This bootcamp has shown me that I can be part of that future.”
In her community, Emelyn is the only one in her family still in school, a reality that has brought its own burden, “Some people keep telling me I won’t make it, that I should give up.” But she’s learned to block out the noise, “I’ve decided to silence those voices by working harder and staying focused on my dream.”
Her message to other girls, especially those living with disabilities or facing social stigma, is clear and powerful:
“Many girls with disabilities don’t get the chance to go to school because of how they look or what others think. But I want them to know: don’t listen to those who try to limit you. Fight for your dream. You can make it.” Emelyn’s journey through AGCCI is more than a story of learning, it’s a story of empowerment, inspiration, and belief. With every line of code, every spark of curiosity, and every challenge she overcomes, she is rewriting the future, not just for herself, but for every girl who dares to dream.
“Nothing is impossible”: Angel’s journey from uncertainty to unstoppable
At just 15 years old, Dushimimana Angel, a student at SS Mary Adelaide heading into Senior 3, is already breaking boundaries, not only in the classroom, but in life. A proud participant of the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI), Angel is living proof that confidence, opportunity, and support can change a girl’s life.
Angel was born with albinism, a condition often misunderstood and sometimes met with stigma. But her story is different, “I never felt discriminated against,” she says confidently, “Not at home, not at school. My family has always been supportive, and I’ve always been free to be myself.”
When she first heard she had been selected for the AGCCI bootcamp, Angel was very skeptical, “We couldn’t believe it was real,” she laughs, “But when it was confirmed, I was so excited, and my parents were overjoyed.” Coming from a modest background, where completing primary school had already felt like a milestone, this opportunity felt like a pathway to a whole new world.
At the two-week AGCCI bootcamp, Angel thrived. Despite having limited exposure to digital tools before, she quickly picked up coding, robotics, and digital problem-solving. She emerged as one of the top performers in her cohort, showing not only technical ability but leadership and determination.
Before the camp, she believed that science subjects were too hard, not meant for girls like her. But AGCCI changed everything, “Now I know I can pursue sciences,” she says, “I want to become a medical doctor, specifically an optician, so I can help others see clearly and I won’t give up on that dream.”
Her message to other girls, especially those who may feel held back by fear, disability, or stigma, is both simple and powerful:
“Nothing is impossible. Even if your parents or people around you say you can’t do it, it’s your job to prove them wrong. Keep working hard and never give up.”
Angel is not just a future optician, she is already a role model. Through AGCCI, she’s gained more than skills; she’s found her voice and her vision. And now, she’s using both to inspire a new generation of girls to dream boldly and defy limits.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.
