Sophia Omar

Founder of Somali Tech Hub empowering marginalized youth through digital literacy

Sophia Omar is a visionary entrepreneur and tech advocate born in 1989 in Hargeisa, Somaliland. As a refugee during the Somali Civil War, she experienced firsthand the challenges of accessing education and opportunities in conflict zones. After earning a computer science degree from the University of Nairobi, she returned to Hargeisa in 2010 to establish the Somali Tech Hub, a pioneering initiative providing free coding education and tech training to young people in regions affected by conflict and poverty.

Her organization has trained over 5,000 students since 2012, with 40% being female participants in a male-dominated sector. The Hub's innovative Tech4Peace program uses virtual reality simulations to teach conflict resolution skills, reaching 200,000+ participants across East Africa. Sophia's work has been featured in TechCrunch and BBC World News, earning her the 2019 Women in Tech Leadership Award from the African Union.