Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Uganda in 2026

Table of Contents

• The Cost of Choosing Wrong
• Coding In Heels
• Women Tech Network - Uganda Chapter
• Girls Who Code - 2026 Pathways Summer Program
• Smart Girls Uganda - Girls In Tech Program
• African Girls Can Code Initiative - ICT Hubs
• Women Techmakers Kampala
• AnitaB.org & Grace Hopper Celebration - Kamala Scholars Program
• Standard Chartered Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator
• The African Girls Can Code Initiative - National Impact
• Women in Technology Uganda
• The Half-Finished Braid
• Frequently Asked Questions

Coding In Heels

While networking groups fill your calendar with events, Coding In Heels fills your portfolio with code. This Kampala-based community prioritises building actual projects over collecting business cards. Their 4-6 week workshops cover web development, Python fundamentals, and UI/UX design - practical skills you can demonstrate to employers like Uganda's top tech employers and innovation hubs.

Workshops are held at Hive Colab and The Innovation Village, where women work through structured learning paths in a supportive, women-only environment. Members report that projects built during these sessions helped them land interviews at MTN Uganda and Jumia Uganda. The community is intentionally small - meaning you can ask "stupid questions" without judgment, and instructors actually remember your name.

Most sessions cost between UGX 30,000 and UGX 80,000 to cover materials and venue. Scholarship slots are occasionally available through partner organisations, announced via their social media channels. This is best for women who already have some exposure to tech but want to level up specific technical skills - the difference between knowing code exists and being able to write it yourself.

Women Tech Network - Uganda Chapter

Sometimes the mentorship you need doesn't live in Kampala - and Women Tech Network's Uganda Chapter understands that. This local chapter of a global ecosystem connects Ugandan women to mentors, job leads, and virtual events spanning Nairobi, Lagos, and London. Monthly virtual fireside chats feature women leaders from Kampala's tech employers - product managers from SafeBoda, engineers from Airtel Uganda - but also invite speakers from companies like Cellulant and Flutterwave who have navigated similar career trajectories across borders.

The network's real value lies in its cross-border reach. For women targeting regional roles at pan-African fintechs or international NGOs, exposure to professionals who have already made that leap is invaluable. You're not just networking locally; you're building relationships with women who understand the path from a Kampala startup to a Nairobi headquarters. The Uganda Chapter page is the entry point for this global community, and the country ambassador regularly organises in-person meetups at venues in Kololo and Bukoto.

Joining is straightforward: create a free profile on the Women in Tech Global platform and select Uganda as your chapter. Virtual events are listed monthly, and the ambassador's local meetups add an in-person dimension. Best for women seeking international mentorship and exposure to opportunities beyond Uganda's borders - without leaving home.

Girls Who Code - 2026 Pathways Summer Program

For high school girls in Uganda - especially those beyond Kampala - Girls Who Code's free, virtual 2026 Pathways summer programs offer a rare opportunity to access world-class curriculum without leaving home. The program covers artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and web development - fields that many girls at schools like Kyebambe Girls' Secondary School never encounter until university, if at all.

The program is entirely free and requires only a smartphone or computer with internet access. In a country where the digital gender divide is widest outside Kampala, these Pathways programs bridge a critical exposure gap. Participants can explore tech fields before choosing university courses, building foundational skills in areas where Uganda's job market is growing fastest - AI and cybersecurity roles at telcos and banks are increasingly in demand.

Applications open annually in early 2026 via the Girls Who Code website. The program runs virtually, so a stable internet connection is essential - achievable through school computer labs, local telecentres, or even a smartphone with a decent data bundle. Girls Who Code announced the 2026 Pathways program via Instagram, making it easy to find and share. Best for high school girls ages 15-18 who want to test-drive tech careers before committing to university paths.

Smart Girls Uganda - Girls In Tech Program

When MTN Uganda partners with an organisation to train and place women in tech, the pipeline isn't theoretical - it produces alumni like Rahiima, who transitioned from the Smart Girls Uganda Girls In Tech program directly into a tech role at the telco. The proof is on their social media: Smart Girls Uganda celebrated Rahiima's placement, demonstrating that this partnership delivers actual employment outcomes, not just certificates.

The program runs cohorts twice yearly and includes skills development workshops and mentorship sessions. Selected participants attend for free, though transport to Kampala venues typically costs between UGX 10,000 and UGX 20,000 per session. Applications are posted on Smart Girls Uganda's social media pages and website. For young women who live in or near Kampala and want a direct route into Uganda's telecommunications sector - where telcos are among the largest tech employers - this program offers a clear on-ramp.

What sets this initiative apart is the intentional partnership with a major employer. You're not just learning generic coding skills; you're training with input from a company that hires locally. Alumni have secured internships and junior roles not only at MTN but also at major banks that value the program's reputation. If your goal is a job at Airtel, Stanbic, or MTN, this is one of the most direct pathways available in 2026.

African Girls Can Code Initiative - ICT Hubs

The most persistent barrier for girls in Uganda's tech ecosystem isn't a lack of talent - it's a lack of hardware. Laptops cost more than a month's rent, and reliable internet remains a luxury outside Kampala. The African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) attacks this problem directly by establishing ICT hubs at schools where girls need them most. In 2026, UN Women expanded AGCCI hubs to Wanyange Girls' Secondary School (Eastern Uganda) and Kyebambe Girls' Secondary School (Mid-Western Uganda).

Each hub is equipped with laptops, internet access, and training in coding, communications, and digital literacy. But the design goes deeper than hardware - the program also trains teachers at each school, ensuring the hub's value outlasts any single cohort. Students don't just learn to code; they learn to communicate their ideas and navigate digital tools that employers at MTN Uganda, Stanbic Bank, and international NGOs expect as baseline skills.

Students at Wanyange and Kyebambe can access the hubs through their schools. AGCCI also runs national coding camps; applications are announced through UN Women Uganda's social media and school networks. Best for secondary school girls in Eastern and Western Uganda who have the ambition but lack the equipment to turn it into skill.

Women Techmakers Kampala

When Google puts its weight behind a local community, the quality floor rises dramatically. Women Techmakers Kampala is the Kampala chapter of Google's global Women Techmakers program, and in 2026 it delivers on that promise consistently. Regular meetups - typically every two months at Google's Kampala office or partner venues - feature talks from female engineers, product managers, and data scientists actually working in Uganda's tech scene.

The tangible benefit that sets this group apart is the free Google Cloud certification vouchers offered to active members. Each voucher is worth over UGX 200,000, making this one of the most cost-effective professional development opportunities available. Attendees have also landed interviews through connections made at meetups - proof that the networking here produces real outcomes, not just LinkedIn connections. Follow @wtmkampala on Instagram for event announcements and first-time attendee details.

Membership is free, and first-time attendees are explicitly welcome. Best for women who want to build a professional network with the visibility and backing of Google's brand and resources - a strong signal on any CV, whether you're applying at SafeBoda or Standard Chartered.

AnitaB.org & Grace Hopper Celebration - Kamala Scholars Program

For most Ugandan women in tech, attending the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) - the world's largest gathering of women in computing - has historically been a distant dream. The combined costs of flights, visas, accommodation, and registration can exceed UGX 6,000,000, a sum that puts the experience out of reach for even the most accomplished professionals. The AnitaB.org Kamala Scholars Program, launched in 2026, directly addresses this barrier by covering registration and travel costs for women and non-binary technologists from underrepresented regions, including East Africa.

Recipients don't just attend the conference - they join a lifelong alumni network that provides ongoing job leads, mentorship, and support. The AnitaB.org GHC Scholars Facebook group is an active community where past and current scholars share opportunities and advice, creating a support system that extends far beyond the four-day event. For Ugandan women building careers at companies like Cellulant, Flutterwave, or Standard Chartered, this global network opens doors that local networking alone cannot.

The application process requires a personal statement, a recommendation, and demonstrated commitment to supporting women in tech. Applications open annually via the AnitaB.org website. Best for mid-career women and advanced students who are ready to make a significant investment in their global professional network - and need the funding to make it possible.

Standard Chartered Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator

The African Girls Can Code Initiative - National Impact

The real differentiator is the credential. Participants receive certificates recognised by the African Union, a weighty signal for employers like MTN Uganda and Stanbic Bank, as well as universities. The program also connects alumni to internships and scholarships with partner organisations including the ITU and UN Women. As highlighted in UN Women Africa's feature on AGCCI, the initiative prioritises communication skills and career planning alongside coding, ensuring graduates can articulate their value in interviews.

National camps are announced through school networks and UN Women Uganda's communications channels. Selection is competitive but deliberately prioritises girls from underserved communities. Best for secondary school and university girls who want a recognised pan-African credential and exposure to a continental tech network that extends from Kampala to Addis Ababa.

Women in Technology Uganda

The Half-Finished Braid

The braider on Instagram had 5,000 followers and photos of neat, tight styles that lasted three weeks. But the deposit vanished into an Airtel Money account that went silent. Now you're scrolling again, looking for someone whose work matches the promise. Women in tech in Uganda face the same dynamic - dozens of groups claim to offer skills, mentorship, and funding, but the cost of joining the wrong one isn't just UGX 50,000 in transport across Kampala. It's the momentum you lose when a group goes quiet after the first meeting, or the opportunity you miss because an accelerator only opens once a year.

This list is your trusted referral. Every organization here has been vetted by women who have walked the path - who sent the Airtel Money and actually received the finished braid. Whether you're a student at Kyebambe Girls' Secondary School discovering code through AGCCI, a founder pitching at The Innovation Village for Standard Chartered funding, or a professional building your network through Women Tech Network Uganda, the right resource will meet you at your stage and carry you forward. The groups here don't just fill your calendar with events; they fill your portfolio with projects, your CV with credentials, and your phone with contacts who actually call back.

The right group will make you feel like the style that lasts three weeks, not the one that unravels after three days. Go join. Apply. Show up. And when someone asks you for a referral, send them this list. The half-finished braid is finally complete.

Frequently Asked Questions