Joyce Kihara

Pioneered tech education initiatives in Kenya, empowering women and youth in STEM

Introduction

Joyce Kihara is a Kenyan tech entrepreneur and educator who has made significant contributions to advancing technology education and gender equality in Africa. Born in 1983, she founded Tech Talent Limited in 2010, an organization that trains young people in digital skills and connects them with job opportunities across East Africa. Her work has directly impacted over 50,000 students and created pathways for marginalized groups to enter the tech sector.

Key Contributions

Kihara's initiatives focus on bridging the digital divide by providing affordable training programs in coding, data science, and cybersecurity. Through partnerships with Microsoft and UN Women, her organization has developed specialized programs targeting female students, addressing the gender gap in STEM fields. A notable achievement was the launch of the Kenya Codes initiative in 2015, which trained 10,000 girls in basic coding skills within its first year.

Impact & Recognition

In 2018, Kihara was named a Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 honoree for her innovative approaches to tech education. Her efforts have led to a 40% increase in female enrollment in tech programs across Nairobi's universities. Tech Talent Limited now operates in 7 African countries and has partnerships with over 50 tech companies including SAP and Oracle.

Future Vision

Kihara aims to expand her programs into rural areas through mobile training units and online platforms. She recently launched the Africa DevHub, an online community connecting 20,000+ African developers. Her work is featured prominently in the World Bank's Technology in Education reports as a model for scalable tech education programs.