My drive to remake Africa as a hub for young techies

It’s not a lack of talent but a lack of opportunity that is holding back Africans, argues Lindiwe Matlali, the leading light in a not-for-profit organization which helps young people to reach their potential by teaching them how to code.

Your birthplace does not have to determine your destiny. I am proof of that. So is Cidra Mthembu. One of Africa Teen Geeks’ most committed students, she joined us when she was only 10 years old, spending each Saturday in our coding classes. Despite growing up in Johannesburg in an environment marked by poverty and instability, she’s a very determined young woman. She is more likely to be found participating in a global hackathon than chatting with friends over a cup of tea. And now she’s heading off to study computer science at South Africa’s most prestigious academic institution, the University of Cape Town. Thanks to Africa Teen Geeks, she is defying the birthplace lottery.

However, it’s not only coding skills that we strive to…