The GirlCode Kenya Hackathon, a two-day event held at Konza Technopolis, brought together 44 young women to develop technology-driven solutions to real-world challenges. The winning team, comprising Mary Wangui, Linet Mugwanja, Aisha Barasa, and Cynthia Chepkorir, developed Naulisako, a digital fare collection platform designed to improve payments and financial tracking in Kenya's public transport sector.
Naulisako streamlines public transport payments, automates reconciliation for vehicle owners, and generates reliable sales records for financial tracking. The platform was selected ahead of Biashara Bot, which finished as first runner-up, and Korva Creatives Economy, which took third place. Biashara Bot digitises and automates financial record-keeping for small businesses, while Korva Creatives Economy consolidates creator revenues, engagement data, and intellectual property monetisation.
The hackathon was organised by Absa Bank Kenya and GirlCode, with the Technopolis Development Authority serving as venue and technical support partner. The top three teams received laptops, tablets, Bluetooth speakers, headsets, and inspirational books. Linet Mugwanja, speaking on behalf of the winning team, said, "Winning the GirlCode Kenya Hackathon affirms that young women have an important role to play in shaping the future of technology."
Kenya was the sixth and final stop in this year's GirlCode Pan-African Hackathon Series, following events in South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Botswana, and Uganda. The Pan-African winners will be announced on October 12, with the winning team set to receive R100,000 and the winning SME set to receive incubation support to scale its solution.
GirlCode aims to reach 10 million girls and women across Africa by 2030 through coding programmes, mentorship, hackathons, and digital skills development. Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO of GirlCode, said the organisation was proud to continue its partnership with Absa Bank Kenya for a third year while welcoming the Technopolis Development Authority as a venue partner.
Moses Okundi, Chief Information Officer at Absa Bank Kenya, said the initiative reflects the bank's commitment to expanding access to digital skills and creating more opportunities for young women to participate in the digital economy. Josephine Ndambuki, Chief Manager, Business Development and Innovation at the Technopolis Development Authority, said hosting the hackathon was part of the organisation's efforts to give young women opportunities to develop their skills and build solutions to real-world challenges.
Key points
- Naulisako, a digital fare collection platform, has won the GirlCode Kenya Hackathon.
- The GirlCode Pan-African Hackathon Series aims to reach 10 million girls and women across Africa by 2030.
- The winning team received laptops, tablets, Bluetooth speakers, headsets, and inspirational books.
