A Women Techsters Bootcamp in 2023 Became the Starting Point for Pan-African Hackathon Wins, a Fintech Startup and a Book on African Women in Tech

Software Development was an exploration alongside a Cybersecurity degree, but it soon became much bigger than that. Since joining the Women Techsters Bootcamp in 2023, Saraphina Mtonyole has gone on to become the first Pan-African winner of the GirlCode Hackathon, build a fintech startup, and champion the stories of African women in technology.

My name is Saraphina Mtonyole, and in 2023, I joined the Women Techsters Bootcamp with no idea that the journey ahead would take me from the classroom to winning competitions across Africa, building a fintech startup, and amplifying the stories of women in technology.

At the time, I was just a Cybersecurity student in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, looking for practical technology skills beyond the classroom and an opportunity to connect with other women in tech. This curiosity would eventually become one of the early steps in a journey that has taken me from learning Software Development to competing and creating on a Pan-African stage.

The Women Techsters Bootcamp became one of the first communities to introduce me to Software Development, teamwork, innovation, and project building. And this foundation opened doors I could not have imagined when I first joined the program.

Since then, I have gone on to achieve several milestones on the African technology stage. I became the first Pan-African winner of the GirlCode Hackathon in 2025 and the first Tanzanian winner of the AI4EAC Innovation Challenge in 2026. I was also a winner in the Women category of the ITU AI for Good Hackathon at GITEX Kenya. Each of these experiences has strengthened my belief in what is possible when I continue to challenge myself and pursue opportunities beyond my immediate environment.

My focus has also expanded beyond participating in opportunities to create them. I am currently building Zavo, my fintech startup, while continuing to explore the intersection of technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and social impact. Building something of my own has given me another way to apply the skills and experiences I have gained while working toward solutions that can create meaningful impact.

I am also writing a forthcoming book, Beyond the Algorithm: The Untold Stories of African Women in AI, Cybersecurity, Technology and Leadership. Through the book, I hope to bring together stories of women across Africa and highlight their journeys, achievements, challenges, and contributions to technology and leadership.

When I look back at where I started, Women Techsters was more than a training program; it was one of the first stepping-stones that helped shape my confidence, skills, and ambition.