Fatima Houda-Pepin

Algerian tech innovator bridging gender gaps in African STEM education

Fatima Houda-Pepin (b.1985) is a transformative figure in North African education technology, founder of Technofemmes, a network now operating in 12 African countries. Her 2008 initiative to train girls in robotics and coding has empowered over 15,000 young women. As Morocco's first female robotics competition organizer, she created the African Girls Robotics Network which now hosts annual competitions across 28 nations. Her 2015 partnership with UNESCO established the first Arabic-language coding academy for girls in Marrakech. Houda-Pepin's 2018 digital literacy program reached 200,000 rural students through her Mobile Learning Units. She developed the CodeNia platform, a gamified learning system translated into 15 African languages. Her 2020 report on gender disparities in STEM education influenced the Moroccan government's 2021 policy reforms. Recipient of the 2022 UN Women's Entrepreneurship Award, her work continues through the Africa Digital Future Foundation, which trains 500 educators annually. Houda-Pepin's innovative approach combines cultural sensitivity with cutting-edge tech, creating scalable solutions for educational equity.