nikita_da_silva

A Brazilian social entrepreneur who created a nationwide network of free schools teaching girls digital literacy and coding skills.

Nikita da Silva (b. 1995) is transforming education access in Brazil through her organization CodeGirls. Starting with a single classroom in Rio de Janeiro's favelas in 2016, her program now operates 87 centers across Brazil, providing free coding education to over 15,000 girls annually. Her 'Code for Change' curriculum combines technical training with entrepreneurship modules, leading to 73% of graduates securing tech-sector jobs.

In 2020, Nikita launched the TechBridge Fund, which has awarded $2.1M in scholarships to young women pursuing STEM degrees. Her viral YouTube series Code Girls TV has taught 2 million viewers basic Python programming. She partnered with UNICEF to create the Tech4Girls Global Initiative, expanding her model to 14 countries.

Nikita's advocacy led to Brazil's 2021 law requiring all public schools to include coding in their curriculum by 2025. She was featured in Forbes' '30 Under 30' in 2022 and her TED Talk 'Why Girls Should Code the Future' (2023) has garnered 3.8 million views. Despite facing backlash from traditionalists, Nikita continues to innovate with her AI-powered Mestres Digitais platform connecting students with global mentors.