STEM and AI for Girls

Our Impact

To close the gender gap in STEM and AI in Zambia, we launched our AI and Design Thinking program for young girls in 2025 with a goal to impact more than 1 million girls by 2030.

While aligning with SDG4 and SDG5, we empower young girls with hands-on education in AI, coding, data science and design thinking. We are providing young girls in Zambia with a direct path to pursue rewarding careers in AI and entrepreneurship.

AI and Design Thinking Training Cohort 1 Highlights

With over 170 girls who have registered to join our AI and Design Thinking program in Lusaka only, we are building a vibrant community of girls who can lead in the fields of AI, STEM, and entrepreneurship.

Our program received support from BongoHive and Mator Design, it was led by Ndanji Sikaona, Upenyu Machingambi, and GirlUp Lusaka. This training cohort created the first step to support young girls who aspire to pursue careers in AI, STEM, and entrepreneurship.

The first cohort of our program focused on covering foundational concepts of AI, machine learning, data science, coding, prompt engineering and design thinking education. We create positive results which include:

• Increased understanding of AI, machine learning and LLM concepts to more than 50 young girls in Lusaka.

• AI platforms for rapid prototyping with practical demonstration of Firebase Studio, Google AI Studio, ChatGPT and using Gemini API

• We enhanced problem-solving and innovation skills among girls through hands-on design thinking exercises.

• Two working prototypes developed demonstrated the potential of girls in using AI for problems in Zambia.

• We inspired girls to build solutions for other girls in Africa.

With future trainings in the pipeline, our program is designed to help young girls master creative problem solving for pressing challenges in Africa using AI and apply design thinking to build scalable startups.

Join us or support us >> button with a link to the WhatsApp group

The training enabled young girls to practice rapid prototyping, where they developed AI-powered solutions such as financial advisor apps, savings and budgeting apps, neo-bank apps for girls and loaning apps aimed at improving financial inclusion for young women. Some of the prototype developed include the following:

a)      AI-Powered Financial Advisor App for Girls

Evelyn Chileshe developed a multi lingual AI financial advisor offering financial literacy, budgeting guidance, and savings plans using in Bemba, Nyanja and English.

[add Evelyn’s photo from AI and Tell event and a link to Evelyn’s post on Evelyn’s name]

b)      HerVest Zambia Financial App for Girls

Bubala Nabuyanda developed a financial App integrated with local banks and Zambian payment providers including Airtel Money, Zamtel with money tracking, offering savings, budgeting loans and investment options for girls. The mobile app is integrated with a multilingual AI chatbot.