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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Code Forces, a group that emerged winner at the Absa GirlCode 2025 hackathon in Kampala, has emerged third on the continental level, out of eight African cities that competed.
The Ugandans came third at the 11th edition of the annual GirlCode-Hackathon held on 12 October 2025 that was organised by Absa in partnership with GirlCode, bringing together young women from eight African cities.
The Uganda group came behind Tech Gullies from Johannesburg who were second, and the Tokiva Sisters from Tanzania, who emerged overall winners in the hackathon.
The Uganda group, also known as Code Forces, innovated Teleka, a student savings app helping users organise and invest their money.
Code Forces comprised of third-year students of Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering (BSSE) at Makerere University, who include Ann Treasure Karagwa, Ayan Mustafa Abdirahman, and Shakiran Nanyombi.
The eight cities that competed in the 30-hour hackathon include Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, and Gaborone – under the theme “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI.
This marks the second year that Absa has sponsored the Africa leg of the hackathon, and this year, the partnership expanded significantly, growing from three countries in 2024 to five in 2025, reflecting Absa’s ongoing commitment to empowering women in technology across the continent.
The Director of Marketing and Customer Experience at Absa Bank Uganda, Helen Basuuta Nangonzi, said, “The 2025 GirlCode Hackathon has been an inspiring showcase of talent, creativity, and problem-solving. These young women have demonstrated that when women innovate, communities thrive, and economies grow.
“It was truly inspiring to witness how participants tackled the same challenge from diverse angles, each bringing fresh insights and bold, innovative thinking. This is the power of inclusive innovation. At Absa, we believe that empowering women in tech and embracing diverse perspectives is not just a value, it is a catalyst for meaningful change across Africa’s tech landscape,” says Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation, Technology – Absa Regional Operations.
The grand prize of R100,000 was awarded to Tokiva Sisters from Tanzania for their innovative financial management platform.
“Tokiva Sisters impressed with a forward-thinking solution aimed at empowering young people to take charge of their finances,” said Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO of GirlCode. “Their creativity, skills, and dedication show the remarkable talent young women are bringing to tech. It is exciting to see their project’s potential for real-world impact.”
GirlCodeHack’s continental reach continues to grow each year, promoting collaboration across borders and demonstrating how diversity accelerates innovation.
“This year’s hackathon showed exactly how collaboration drives innovation,” added Mkwanazi. “Young women-built skills, confidence, and networks that will continue long after the event, perfectly illustrating our goal of expanding access and representation in tech.”
As GirlCode accelerates its mission to empower ten million women and girls with tech skills by 2030, Absa remains steadfast in its commitment to driving diversity and inclusion in technology, ensuring that more women across Africa not only participate but lead in shaping the future of the industry.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of this journey,” concludes Dutuma. “Our partnership with GirlCode is about creating access, representation, and opportunities for young women to thrive in technology. This work is important to us, and we hope to extend our impact to more countries in the future, as we continue exploring ways to support initiatives that foster meaningful and inclusive innovation across Africa.”
