The latest articles on DEV Community by Innocent Wise (@innocenty). https://dev.to/innocenty https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F2073759%2Ff2c51ae4-4a04-4297-876c-938dc9407ce2.jpg https://dev.to/innocenty en Innocent Wise Sat, 28 Mar 2026 15:40:40 +0000 https://dev.to/innocenty/echoes-of-experience-gender-equity-in-tech-2bkb https://dev.to/innocenty/echoes-of-experience-gender-equity-in-tech-2bkb <h1> Jaydaplug · Nairobi </h1> <h2> Echoes of experience · gender equity in tech </h2> <p><strong>Jaydaplug</strong> — 22, from Umoja, Nairobi. First hackathon (2022): 50 devs, only 6 women. When a female colleague’s idea was ignored until a man repeated it, <strong>#PichaHack</strong> was born — now 300+ women &amp; non‑binary coders in Kenya, building tools like <em>Sauti</em> (Swahili voice API).</p> <blockquote> <p>“Equity isn’t a favour – it’s the reason our apps don’t fail half the population.” – Jaydaplug @ iHub 2023</p> </blockquote> <p>🌟 <strong>Big up to my best tech friend Seline from Gomycode Kenya</strong> – we debug life together, share chapati, and build dreams. Love you, sis! 💚</p> <h2> Ally toolkit (actionable steps) </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>🔊 Amplify, don't mansplain</strong> – “As Amina said…” rewires the room.</li> <li> <strong>👥 Sponsor, not just mentor</strong> – introduce, recommend, promote.</li> <li> <strong>💰 Fund equally</strong> – seek women‑led startups.</li> <li> <strong>📢 Call out bias</strong> – challenge “she's too aggressive”.</li> </ul> <h2> Gen Z Kenya: the future is us </h2> <p><em>“tuliskaa tu? we code.”</em></p> <h3> For the young hustler </h3> <ul> <li>Join <strong>PichaHack</strong> – safe space for women &amp; non‑binary coders.</li> <li> <strong>Cyber Systems Academy Labs</strong> – free cybersecurity &amp; cloud courses for Kenyans.</li> <li>Apply for <strong>Afro Fem Coders</strong> scholarship.</li> <li>Build with <strong>Swahili NLP community</strong> – creating local language AI.</li> </ul> <h3> Resource stack </h3> <ul> <li>Moringa School</li> <li>iHub</li> <li>AkiraChix</li> <li>SheCode</li> <li><strong>Cyber Systems Academy Labs</strong></li> </ul> <h2> Jaydaplug Services (built by us, for us) </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>myResume</strong> – online resume maker for Kenyan job seekers (ATS‑friendly, Swahili/English).</li> <li> <strong>CSA Labs</strong> – Cyber Systems Academy hands‑on courses (cybersecurity, cloud, ethical hacking).</li> <li> <strong>Swahili NLP</strong> – open community building language models for Swahili.</li> <li> <strong>PichaHack</strong> – women &amp; non‑binary coders in Kenya (mentorship, hackathons).</li> </ul> <h2> Connect </h2> <ul> <li>🐦 Twitter: @Jaydaplug</li> <li>💻 GitHub: /jaydaplug</li> <li>🔗 LinkedIn: /in/jaydaplug</li> <li>📞 WhatsApp: 0702250123</li> <li>📧 <a href="mailto:jaydaplug@proton.me">jaydaplug@proton.me</a> </li> </ul> <p>Communities: #PichaHack · #CSA_Kenya · #SwahiliNLP · #myResumeKE</p> <p>© Jaydaplug 2026 — “tuliskaa tu? we code.”</p> devchallenge wecoded dei career