A woman in Tech./ PHOTO ; AI illustration
For many women in Kenya’s remote northern and coastal counties, opportunity has long felt out of reach.
Yet, through the Empower Her initiative, a partnership between Together Women Rise and Asante Africa Foundation, single mothers and young women in some of the country’s most arid regions are now learning the digital and entrepreneurial skills that can transform their lives.
The program was the focus of the Together Women Rise November Webinar: The Future of STEM is Female, held on November 7th, 2025.
The webinar highlighted how digital literacy and STEM training are transforming the lives of rural women in Kenya.
Moderated by Colleen Kill, a member of the organization’s Board of Directors, the session featured Annalie Abell, Development Associate at Asante Africa Foundation, joining from Kenya to share firsthand accounts of the program’s impact.
“We are equipping mothers and young women with certified digital literacy and STEM skills,” explained Faith Blessed Chap’ngeno, Strategic Partnership and Development Associate at Asante Africa Foundation, in a video presentation shown during the webinar.
“These are not just any skills; they are practical, future-ready, and designed to open doors in male-dominated fields, giving women a stronger voice in their communities.”
From Drought to Digital: A Region Reimagined
The webinar took listeners to Turkana County, one of Kenya’s driest and most remote regions, where daily temperatures often reach 97°F (36°C) and water scarcity defines life.
As Abell noted, women in such areas face a “triple threat”: a lack of economic opportunity, restrictive gender norms, and a widening digital divide that excludes them from the modern job market.
For many single mothers in Turkana and neighboring Tana River County, daily survival leaves little room for education or enterprise.
“Desolate is actually a good adjective,” Abell said.
“The transition rate for young girls to secondary school is around 12%,” Abell explained.
“Most families can’t afford to send all their children to school, so boys are prioritized. Girls are often left at home to fetch water or do domestic work, which can take the whole day.”
The result is a cycle of poverty and vulnerability.
“Girls who drop out of school become more susceptible to early marriage and gender-based violence. And because there are so few local job opportunities, those that exist go to men first.”
Empowering Women Through Digital Skills
Asante Africa Foundation, which began in 2007 as a scholarship program to keep East African children, especially girls, in school, has evolved into a multi-pronged initiative combining education, skills training, and entrepreneurship.
Its Digital Employability and Entrepreneurship Pathways (DEEP) program, launched in 2021, is a cornerstone of that evolution.
“The Kenyan government has made a massive investment in digital infrastructure over the last four or five years,” Abell said.
“Our program is partially responding to that investment. We know that digital access today is tied to financial freedom. If you don’t have digital skills, you can’t compete for jobs or grow your microenterprise.”
The Empower Her initiative, funded by Together Women Rise, brings that mission directly to rural women.
Over 15 months, participants receive hands-on digital and entrepreneurial training through partnerships with technology companies such as Google, Cisco, and Salesforce.
“They’re learning how to code, how to set up websites, and how to use digital marketing effectively,” Abell explained.
“Then they’re deployed back into their communities as digital technicians helping schools integrate technology, teaching others to use the devices, and ensuring those systems keep running.”
Each participant is provided with the technology necessary to complete the program.
“By the end of the training, they not only have marketable technical skills, but they also become agents of digital transformation in their own communities,” Abell said.
Confidence, Community, and Change
Beyond technical know-how, Abell emphasized the profound personal transformation that comes from participation.
“Many of these women come from very difficult circumstances. They’ve been taught to be quiet, to be seen and not heard. But when they gain these skills and see what they can do, their confidence blossoms.”
The program’s approach, combining digital skills, leadership training, and mentorship, has resulted in striking outcomes.
Past participants have reported newfound independence, the ability to earn stable incomes, and the confidence to speak publicly and pursue leadership roles.
“It’s almost like watching a flower bloom,” Abell reflected.
“You plant the seed, and suddenly she realizes she can make choices for herself; she doesn’t have to rely on anyone else.”
Among the stories that stood out to Abell was that of Rose, a former janitor at Asante Africa’s offices who decided to join the organization’s STEM program after overhearing a conversation about it.
“She went from earning less than $100 a month to earning more than $300,” Abell said.
“She completely changed her life trajectory. And that’s what we’re seeing now with the women in the Empower Her program.”
The current Together Women Rise grant is supporting 40 participants, giving each of them access to the same transformative training that changed Rose’s life.
“If it weren’t three in the morning in Kenya,” Abell added with a smile, “one of them would be on this call right now telling you their story themselves.”
Pay It Forward Model While Shifting Attitudes
A core principle of Asante Africa’s programming is sustainability through a pay-it-forward approach.
“Every participant is tasked with training at least three to five individuals in some capacity of what they have learned,” Abell said.
“It deepens their knowledge and spreads digital literacy and skills throughout the community.”
The ripple effect continues as digital apprentices work with local schools, training teachers and students on how to use and integrate technology.
This ensures that the knowledge remains long after the program ends, creating lasting community impact.
Abell also highlighted the importance of community-driven participation.
Turkana and Samburu are regions where traditional gender roles remain strong, but Abell said the program is beginning to reshape local attitudes toward women.
“It takes time,” she admitted, “but once men and elders understand what the program is about and how it can financially assist the community, it helps shift perspectives on why women should be able to work and why it’s important to invest in women in the first place.”
That shift is aided by the program’s emphasis on community selection.
The participants are not randomly chosen; they are nominated by their own local communities’ elders, officials, and neighbors who know them. The staff members, most of whom are East African, implement the programs.
This inclusion builds ownership and pride, reinforcing that women’s advancement benefits everyone.
“Community buy-in is much higher when the program is owned by the individuals themselves,” she said.
“It takes time, but once men and elders understand how these programs financially assist the community, perspectives on women’s work and investment begin to shift.”
Overcoming Infrastructure Challenges
Northern Kenya faces intermittent electricity and internet connectivity issues.
However, Asante Africa has adapted with solar-powered devices and uses an offline learning management system
“Participants can complete the program even during days without internet,” Abell explained.
“This ensures that learning continues uninterrupted despite local infrastructure challenges.”
The program also introduces participants to artificial intelligence toward the end of the curriculum, preparing them for the next frontier of digital opportunity.
While most women use their skills locally to grow small businesses, some may eventually leverage them for remote work, reducing the need for migration to urban centers.
A Future of Digital Inclusion
When asked what gives her the most hope for the next generation of girls in Turkana and Samburu, Abell didn’t hesitate.
“It’s their resiliency,” she said. “These women have so many things to overcome and very few people supporting them. They’re not asking for pity, they’re asking for opportunity.”
That resilience, she believes, is what keeps the Empower Her Initiative thriving.
“We want young women to have choices and agency over their own lives,” she added. “Digital education is a way out for them, a way to make their own choices, whatever that looks like.”
The Empower Her initiative continues to expand, providing young women with both technical competence and self-belief, bridging not only the gender gap but also the opportunity divide.
With resiliency, community ownership, and transformative skills, the program is setting a powerful example for digital inclusion across rural Africa, showing that with the right support, women can lead, innovate, and thrive.
Source Attribution:
This article is based on the Together Women Rise November Webinar | The Future of STEM is Female, held on November 7th, 2025, and interviews with Annalie Abell, Development Associate at Asante Africa Foundation.
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