Country of Residence
Kenya
Age
20
Project title
TuxHer Pwani
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
TuxHer Pwani is a youth-led community creating space for women in technology in Mombasa and beyond to discover new possibilities through skills development, mentorship, meaningful connections, and opportunities to grow, lead, and shape the future of technology.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
https://tuxherpwani.netlify.app/
Project Category
My project is an existing project that I started
Project Stage
Pilot-Stage (We’ve tried an activity or two)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
TuxHer Pwani was inspired by my desire to change how people see Mombasa and the potential of its people. I have often heard comments that underestimate people from the Coast, yet I know there are talented people here whose achievements and abilities are not always recognised. I also noticed that women, particularly Muslim women are underrepresented in technology. Many have an interest in tech but do not know where to begin, who to ask for guidance, or how to turn that interest into practical skills. I have also seen initiatives start with excitement but struggle to keep people engaged. I began thinking about creating something different a community where women are not just brought together, but are actually guided, taught, encouraged, and supported as they learn. A place where beginners can ask questions freely, develop their skills, work on projects, and grow their passion for technology. That is what inspired TuxHer Pwani. I want us to grow together, help one another and show that the talent and potential are already here in the Coast. We just need to create the rig That became the inspiration for TuxHer Pwani. We want to bring women together to learn, collaborate, support one another, and show that the Coast has talent, creativity, and potential. I believe that when women are given the right environment and opportunities, they can achieve far more than people expect.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
The problem I hope to address is the lack of accessible guidance, opportunities, and supportive spaces for women interested in technology, particularly in Mombasa and the wider Coast region. This is personal to me. I have often heard comments expressing surprise at how knowledgeable or capable someone from Mombasa can be. It is frustrating because there are talented and innovative people here, but their work and achievements are not always recognised. I have also seen people leave Mombasa for Nairobi in search of better opportunities because they feel there is more room to grow there. I want to help change that by contributing to an environment where people can develop their skills, connect, innovate, and build meaningful opportunities without feeling they have to leave their home region to succeed. I am also concerned about how few women, particularly Muslim women, are visible in technology. Many have an interest but lack guidance, encouragement, or someone to help them take their first steps. This matters to me because I want to see a different future for my community. Through TuxHer Pwani, I hope to help women learn, collaborate, and grow while making local talent more visible. I want Mombasa to be recognised not just as a place where talented people come from, but as a place where talent is nurtured and great things are built.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Through TuxHer Pwani, I want to build a community where women at different stages of their technology journeys can learn, share ideas, collaborate, and grow together. We welcome women who are completely new to technology as well as those who already have experience in areas such as programming, web development, cybersecurity, and AI. Beginners can learn from and receive guidance from more experienced members, while experienced members can exchange ideas, share knowledge, collaborate, and learn from one another. Everyone has something to contribute, regardless of their level. Beyond learning, I want members to work together on projects that address real problems in their communities. We also hope to connect members with mentors and help them access opportunities such as competitions, funding programmes, scholarships, internships, and partnerships. My bigger vision is for these collaborations to grow into real projects, products, and technology startups in Mombasa. The city has talented people, but opportunities to develop ideas, access resources, and grow technology businesses can be limited. As a result, many young people feel they have to move to Nairobi or elsewhere to find room to grow. I want to contribute to changing that by helping create an environment where people can build, innovate, establish businesses, and find opportunities right here in Mombasa. As these businesses grow, they can also create jobs and open doors for others. TuxHer Pwani has already begun recruiting members, and I want us to grow into a lasting community where women continue supporting one another, developing ideas, creating solutions, and building opportunities together. Ultimately, I want women to see that they can build meaningful careers and innovations without feeling that they have
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
As of 13 November 2026, TuxHer Pwani has recruited 20 members interested in technology, marking the beginning of the community we want to build. Our members include women who are interested in exploring technology and growing their skills. We are now preparing to hold our first meetup next week, where members will have an opportunity to connect, get to know one another, share their interests, and begin building relationships. Although we are still in our early stages, recruiting these 20 members is an important first step. It shows that there are women interested in being part of a space where they can learn, exchange ideas, collaborate, and support one another. Our next goal is to turn these connections into an active learning and collaboration community. We hope to create opportunities for beginners to learn from experienced members, for members to work together on projects, and for everyone to share knowledge and discover opportunities in technology. As we grow, we will measure our impact through membership, participation, skills developed, projects created, collaborations formed, and opportunities accessed by our members. In the long term, I hope to see women from Mombasa and the wider Coast region not only participating in technology but also building solutions, starting businesses, and creating opportunities for others.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
Through TuxHer Pwani, I want to build a community where women at different stages of their technology journeys can learn, share ideas, collaborate, and grow together. We welcome women who are completely new to technology as well as those who already have experience in areas such as programming, web development, cybersecurity, and AI. Beginners can learn from and receive guidance from more experienced members, while experienced members can exchange ideas, share knowledge, collaborate, and learn from one another. Everyone has something to contribute, regardless of their level. Beyond learning, I want members to work together on projects that address real problems in their communities. We also hope to connect members with mentors and help them access opportunities such as competitions, funding programmes, scholarships, internships, and partnerships. My bigger vision is for these collaborations to grow into real projects, products, and technology startups in Mombasa. The city has talented people, but opportunities to develop ideas, access resources, and grow technology businesses can be limited. As a result, many young people feel they have to move to Nairobi or elsewhere to find room to grow. I want to contribute to changing that by helping create an environment where people can build, innovate, establish businesses, and find opportunities right here in Mombasa. As these businesses grow, they can also create jobs and open doors for others. We have already recruited 20 members and are preparing for our first meetup. My vision is to grow TuxHer Pwani into a lasting community where women continue supporting one another, developing ideas, creating solutions, and building opportunities together.
How many people are on your team?
3
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
TuxHer Pwani is led by a founding team of three women. I am the Founder and Chairperson, responsible for guiding the vision, coordinating our activities, and helping drive the growth of the community. I work alongside two co-founders who contribute ideas, support decision-making, and help shape how we build and develop the initiative.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next year, my priority is to turn TuxHer Pwani from a newly established community into an active and sustainable space for women in technology. Our first step is to hold our first meetup, where members can connect, share their interests, identify what they would like to learn, and discuss how we can work together. We then plan to organise regular meetups and practical learning sessions covering areas such as programming, web development, cybersecurity, and AI. We also want to encourage peer learning by connecting beginners with more experienced members, while creating opportunities for everyone to exchange knowledge and collaborate. As the community develops, we plan to introduce group projects where members can work together to solve problems affecting their communities. Another important step is building partnerships with universities, technology communities, professionals, and organisations that can support our members through mentorship, resources, internships, competitions, and other opportunities. In the longer term, we want to help members develop their ideas into real projects, products, and potentially startups. We will also work on expanding our membership beyond Mombasa to reach more women across the Coast. By the end of the year, I hope to have an active community with consistent participation, stronger connections, practical projects, and partnerships
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
I plan to grow awareness of TuxHer Pwani by using both online platforms and direct community engagement. We already use social media to introduce the initiative, share our vision, and reach women who are interested in technology. I want to strengthen this by regularly sharing learning resources, members' experiences, project updates, and opportunities in technology. I also plan to reach out to universities, colleges, student communities, and local organisations in Mombasa to introduce TuxHer Pwani and encourage more women to join. Our existing members can also help spread the word through their networks and invite other women who may be interested. Beyond simply asking people to join, I want us to show them what being part of the community means. Through meetups, practical sessions, collaborative projects, and mentorship, people will be able to experience the value of learning and growing together. I especially want to reach women who are curious about technology but feel they lack the experience or confidence to get started. I want them to know they do not need to be experts to join; they only need an interest and a willingness to learn. By creating a welcoming environment and sharing our progress, I hope more women will see TuxHer Pwani as a place where they belong and can grow.
