Odegua O.

Odegua O.

2019 Anita Borg Systers Pass It On Award Winner
Project Title: CODE with GIRLS Lagos
Country: Nigeria

Code with Girls Lagos is a three-day technology workshop that provides a full course, titled Introduction to Computer Programming and Coding, with activities that will train 60 high school girls and 10 STEM teachers from remote public secondary schools. The workshop, held in Lagos state, Nigeria, will teach Scratch programming (game design), electronic circuit design, programming with Arduino, mobile app programming, and website development. In addition, the girls will be introduced to successful technical women who will serve as trainers, volunteers, and role models, and who will facilitate a one-hour mentorship seminar on “How to tackle the challenges of being a Woman in Technology.” Peer networks developed through the program will allow for post-training social networking that will foster continued interaction and exchange of STEM-related ideas. This training will help these young women gain skills to address problems in their communities and contribute to the economic development of Nigeria, Africa, in general.

Odegua is Founder and President of the James Ogunbor Education Foundation (JOEF); Assistant Production Manager at the Societe De Compoundage Nigeria Ltd.; and Lead Consultant at Pedagogic Consulting, an educational services organization also into information technology training. She is the current president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Lagos Affiliate, in Nigeria. She has managed several computer science, engineering, and technology outreach programs for girls both for JOEF and SWE, in different parts of Nigeria, that have inspired more than 5,000 girls to develop interest in technology.