SmartGirlz in ICT 2022
Run from 5 February to 23 April 2022 in partnership with UDICTI (CoICT, University of Dar es Salaam), UNICEF, Tanzania Data Lab (dLab), TCRA and the ICT Commission of Tanzania, this edition trained secondary school girls in Problem Solving Skills, Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Software Systems Design & Development, culminating in an inter-school competition on International Girls in ICT Day.
274 students across 8 secondary schools took part: Ubungo Islamic, Kawe Ukwamani, Makumbusho, Mikocheni, Kijitonyama, Alpha High, Makongo and Salma Kikwete.
20 CoICT students were trained and deployed as facilitators, coordinated by Dr. Khadija Mkocha alongside a team of facilitators (Dr. Hellen Maziku, Dr. Cosmas Mushi, Dr. Ruthbertha Kateule), UDICTi (Ms. Josephine Stephen, Dr. Moses Ismail), dLab (Ms. Mahadia Tunga) and UNICEF (Truphena).
Programme Phases — 2022
From trainer selection through to in-school and inter-school competition.
HCD Training
Students introduced to HCD, forming teams and prototyping solutions to challenges in their own communities.
Coding & MVP Building
A second phase for the 3 winning teams to revise, build and productize their prototypes into MVPs.
How Phase 1 Unfolded
Trainer Selection & ToT
Innovators with HCD and ICT backgrounds recruited and trained on Human-Centered Design, pitching and software systems design.
Programme Launch
Students introduced to innovation and Human-Centered Design at their respective schools.
Team Formulation
Teams of 5–6 students formed to work through the HCD process together.
Challenge Identification & Prototyping
Teams identified real challenges in their communities and developed prototypes for their proposed solutions.
In-School Competitions
23 teams across 8 schools pitched their prototypes; the top teams per school advanced.
Inter-School Finals
Winning teams exhibited and pitched to a panel of judges/experts on International Girls in ICT Day.
In-School Competition Results
Held from 31 March to 2 April 2022, each school's top 3 teams advanced to the inter-school finals.
Alpha High School
The Dream Team 88.7
Shining Star 80
Kijitonyama Secondary
Talent Girls 88
Strong Girls 74
Fire Girls 73
Makumbusho Secondary School
Last Drop 81.3
Untouchable Brain 75
Unique Brain 66.3
Kawe Ukwamani
Girls Power 84.33
Lioness 82.3
Unknown 79
Makongo High School
Fivestar 82.7
The Builders 66.3
International 59.3
Salma Kikwete
Golden Girls 82
BWBI Girls 77
Techno Girls 70
Mikocheni Secondary School
Magnificants 72.3
Pink Stars 71
Balenciaga 51.2
Ubungo Islamic
Lovely Group 77.3
G5 73
Dreamers 60
2022 Inter-School Winners
Announced 23 April 2022 at the inter-school finals on International Girls in ICT Day.
Challenges & Lessons Learned
Equipment & Materials
Limited availability of cable extensions, projectors and HDMI/VGA connectors across schools, alongside shortages of flipcharts, marker pens, plain and coloured paper, scissors and glue.
Scheduling
Session start delays due to changing school schedules, and some schools offering as little as 60 minutes per session.
Programme Framing
Some male students felt excluded from participating because of the programme's name, despite wanting to learn.
Funding & Recognition
A language barrier in some sessions, limited funds for facilitation costs, and no formal way to reward especially active students in class.
Conclusion
SmartGirlz in ICT 2022 impacted 274 students across 8 secondary schools in Dar es Salaam, giving them hands-on experience in Human-Centered Design and software development while inspiring further studies and careers in ICT. A second phase was planned for the 3 winning teams to turn their prototypes into working products.
Photos
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