The WeCode Programme — why teaching women in Rwanda how to code is crucial for the tech sector

Have you ever noticed how most people in the ICT sector in Rwanda are men? Think back to the IT department at your workplace, who fixes your laptop or phone when it breaks, who was your teacher in tech-related fields. What are the reasons behind this gender divide? Where does the issue lie, and what solutions can address it?

While there has been significant progress in women's integration into the technology sector, there is still a long way to go before we reach gender diversity in the Rwandan tech ecosystem. The stories of two women, Delphine and Anna, start to bring us answers.

Two stories, one structural problem

In early 2019, Delphine was 29 years old and very passionate about becoming a software engineer. She had never been able to find stable employment, despite having graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from a reputable East African university. Two years after graduating, she had only managed to get two internships, each lasting two months. Anna had also graduated from a local university with a Bachelor's degree but could not find a job that would allow her to support herself and her child. Both felt desperate and had started to give up on their dream of launching a career in tech: they were repeatedly told they did not have the required skills for an entry-level job as software engineers, and they struggled to afford the cost of upskilling.

The issue of gender bias cannot be discounted. As a 2019 *Forbes* article shows, men are usually perceived as more capable in STEM fields and more worthy of investment as employees, because starting a family is seen as less likely to affect their availability. On top of that, women in Rwanda face a structural lack of access to ICT-related courses: according to a 2017 Gender Monitoring Office study, in 2016 women made up only 32.3% of students taking IT-related courses in higher education versus 67.7% for men.

A scholarship programme as a response

In response to this gender-digital divide, a group of government, non-government and private sector partners came together to implement a scholarship programme geared towards women only. In 2018, the WeCode programme was launched by the ICT Chamber, the Private Sector Federation (PSF), GIZ, the Ministry of ICT and two implementation partners (Moringa School and Muraho Tech) to directly address the underlying issues: lack of access to quality training, gender bias from employers, and the low representation of women in the sector. The programme wanted to measure its success not only against the graduation rate of the trainees, but also against the job placement rate six months after graduation.

First phase: 2018–2019

Moringa School, one of the implementation partners, delivered its six-month software development blended-learning course, provided professional development and soft skills training, and committed to placing at least 60% of graduates within six months. Delphine and Anna were amongst the 76 women who graduated from the first phase. Their training focused on market-aligned skills: weekly practice, and a final project building software — an app or web-based solution — that solved an issue they had identified in their communities.

As of writing, 53 (70%) of these women have been placed in gainful employment in Rwandan companies such as MobiCash, Irembo and GT Bank. This was achieved through frequent engagement between Moringa and employers, giving employers the chance to witness the trainees' technical capabilities first-hand. Delphine joined a company she had always dreamt of working for; Anna turned her final Moringa training project into a venture, has now run her business for over a year, travelled outside of Rwanda to pitch to investors, and provided employment to her peers.

The first phase achieved all the targets the partners had set, but it also surfaced clear lessons — especially on the necessity to provide holistic support throughout and after training. Providing only access to quality education without addressing the socio-economic issues each trainee faces does not, on its own, close the gender-digital divide. A student who struggles to afford transport, sustenance, or who will no longer have access to a laptop and internet after graduating is less likely to complete training or find a job, regardless of how dedicated she is.

Second phase: 2020–2021

Armed with lessons from the first phase, the WeCode partners decided to train 55 women from August 2020 to February 2021, with the aim of an 80% graduation rate and 80% job placement rate. The second phase focuses on maintaining the gains of the first, with an emphasis on psychosocial support for the students. This includes laptops for one year, internet stipends while studying remotely, transportation stipends when students are required on campus, catering on campus, and access to an experienced professional counsellor for group and individual sessions for anyone facing hardship.

*Raissa Kamariza is the Head of Rwanda Operations at Moringa School and a guest author for this piece. Moringa develops the next generation of tech leaders through market-driven software development programmes.*