Since 2018, CSA Africa have trained over 350 participants from different African countries, but only about 17% are women. This is due to the small number of applications we receive from potential applicants of this identity. Moreover, throughout our workshops we have also observed that women are more likely to be intimidated by programming and less likely to engage during lectures. 
 
For 2022, we were very intentional about increasing the number of women participants in our programming workshop. We highlighted everywhere on our platforms that “women are strongly encouraged to apply” and we also offered the possibility of childcare support. As a result, CSA Africa 2022 has 45% women participants. We have a fervent desire to continue to address this problem and to help more women feel confident to pursue careers in tech. 
 
This conference aimed to bring together women who are at different points in their tech journey; from those who are aspiring to those who have smashed several glass ceilings. The event included a panel discussion which explored the stories of trailblazing women as they shared their journey, strengths, challenges, and growth strategy. In addition, we ran an engaging session to identify the barriers that are preventing women from reaching their career goals.