Girls are somewhere in the future #DigiGirlz

"I'm somewhere in the future, and I look better than I look right now." Thandiwe Mbila  from Mkhephuli Secondary School came up with this phrase, and now it has become part of our workshops to motivate learners to picture their future, especially their workplace. It is a gem rap followed by a snapping of fingers and footsteps. I really loved it, especially yesterday with the girls in a DigiGirlz workshop at Morelig Secondary School.

The girls were joined by Sheena Satikge-Sibisi  virtually to share some of her experience during her career journeys. As a young star inspired by how townships were designed in South Africa it motivated her to study town planning.

She shared how she navigated high school troubles using confidence and a positive attitude to show up where no one could imagine. She delivered a powerful lesson to these young stars.

The DigiGirlz workshop is one of the intensive sessions where girls are taught various 21st-century skills, including career guides to STEM. We had a design thinking session where they had to identify problems in various newspaper articles, develop problem statements, brainstorm and design prototype solutions. After this exercise, the girls presented their work to the group for positive criticism and improvement.

Another session involved a coding and robotics lesson where girls were introduced to various platforms to learn coding skills. This time, we used one of the Raspberry Pi Foundation  Scratch projects for beginners, and the girls were excited to get this opportunity to learn the skill.

I take this opportunity to thank Ms. Malevu of Morelig school who was on leave yesterday but made this event happened at her school. My colleagues Duduzile, Glenda and Sheena Satikge-Sibisi for supporting the workshop. I appreciate the support from the Nkangala TVET College  for sponsoring some goodies for the girls.

STEM Spirit Ignited at Gogo Makhotha’s Home

The love of STEM burned brightly at Gogo Makhotha’s home on 26 December event hosted by the Elevate Club in partnership with the Mpumalanga ICT Club as more than 50 children from Grade RR to recent matriculants gathered for a day of learning, innovation and celebration. Despite heavy rains earlier that morning, clear skies welcomed the kids as they arrived eagerly at 10:00. For many of them, the day had special meaning.

“Some parents told me their children were saying, ‘Today is the best of the best day, please take me to Gogo Makhotha’s home!’” Phumla Nkonde, the chairperson and founding member of the club shared.

The event opened with a first-of-its-kind 5km fun run from the nearby village of Mkhumulo—humorously named “remove your jacket.” Excitement was high as children lined up on the gravel road, determined to sprint their way to the finish line at Gogo Makhotha’s gate.

Bandile Sukazi, representing the family’s third generation, secured the first gold medal with an impressive performance. In total, five gold medals and ten silver medals were awarded, with two girls among the silver winners. All other participants proudly received bronze medals for completing the race.

The programme continued with an inspiring address from Nomzamo Makhotha, a drone pilot and member of the family’s first generation of grandchildren. She shared her journey in aviation and emphasised the critical role of mathematics in her field.

“I am not just flying a drone,” she said. “I passed mathematics in high school, and that opened the path for me to qualify as a drone pilot and a Software Engineer. There is a lot of maths and problem-solving involved in flying a drone.”

When she asked the children if they would like to fly one, a loud and unanimous “yes!” echoed across the gathering—giving her the perfect opportunity to reinforce the importance of aiming high in mathematics.

Under the theme “Robot Design Thinking,” groups of children then brainstormed solutions to challenges facing their community of Maserijini. While many groups impressed, it was the team calling themselves Manarator that stood out. Their project tackled water scarcity, presenting a clear problem statement, identifying key stakeholders, and outlining their role in promoting water-saving awareness. They also proposed practical techniques for monitoring water levels and detecting leaks at household level. The judges; Siyabonga, Nomusa and Nomzamo were impressed about the presentations.

The final activity of the day brought colour and excitement as Siyabonga Nkonde and Nomzamo led a session on making paper planes and cranes using brightly coloured papers—matching the Elevate Club’s logo. Soon, the field was filled with soaring paper planes, some gliding above the stretch tent as children experimented with their designs.

The event ended with cheers and laughter, with Gogo Makhotha and her neighbours proudly celebrating the children’s achievements. At one point, she joked enthusiastically, “Next year, all the grannies must join the fun run—and I will lead them!”

(Nombulelo Zulu (Club Treasure), Erica Zulu(Member), Phumla Nkonde ( Club Chairperson) and Nomusa Keninda ( Founder of the Mpumalanga ICT Club and Mentor to the club)

Story enhanced by AI.

Beyond the Classroom, We shape the Future

(Duduzile, Nomusa, Lorancia and Joyce)

Inside the club house of Middelburg Primary School, a third gathering of a vibrant community of practice made up of after-school programme leaders from across the Mpumalanga province took place. These were not just meetings—they were moments of alignment, of vision, of building something bigger than any one organisation could achieve alone.

At the heart of the session was the newly released Quality Standards for After-School Programmes Toolkit. Designed to elevate the impact of after-school initiatives, the toolkit anchored four foundational pillars of the quality standards for after-school programmes.

1. Quality Programme Design: Ensuring that every activity is intentional, inclusive, and aligned with developmental outcomes.

2. Environment, Health, and Wellness: Creating safe, nurturing spaces that support learners’ physical and emotional wellbeing.

3. Partnerships: Strengthening collaboration between schools, communities, and stakeholders to collaborate.

4. Human Resources and Relations: Investing in the people who make the programmes thrive—through training, support, and recognition.

As the rain gently poured on the school's sports ground, facilitators from The Learning Trust guided us through reflective exercises, case studies, and practical strategies that we all contributed in group activities. Laughter mingled with deep discussions as we exchange ideas and make commitments 

(After-school programme leaders with Learning Trust facilitators)

This was more than a training, it was a reaffirmation that in every corner of South Africa, after-school programmes are not just filling time—they are shaping futures of this country.

(Sarai demonstrating an AI robot for foundation phase)

DigiGirlz Coding Bootcamp 2025 for eMalahleni 2

 51 grade 7-9 girls participated in a DigiGirlz workshop at eMalahleni 2 circuit. Our talk was all about future careers, positive personal branding and online safety.

We also introduced the girls to Scratch coding using the Raspberry Pi Foundation Scratch activity called "Catch a bus"  

Our popular rap song composed by Thandiwe Mbila came alive again here "I am somewhere in the future and I look better than I look right now." Yes we hope that the girls will push through to their careers, focusing on their dreams. 

The #DigiGirlz Initiative was launched in 2018 and we managed to share the 7th anniversary of the DigiGirlz Initiative with the girls. 

We prayed that the divine mercy of the Almighty protects them as they grow up to achieve their future dreams.

DigiGirlz Coding Bootcamp in the Nkangala District

https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/digigirlz-coding-bootcamp

We are starting at Sbongindawo Primary School with the eMalahleni 2 Ogies schools.

Sbongindawo Code Club Officially Launched

What an interesting day I had with grade 4-7 learners who were in the computer lab for the first time in their lives, officially launching their Code by hosting Scratch Day. It happened on August 20, 2025. Sbongindawo Primary School.

We discussed how computers are used in various sectors and what tools or methods were used before. 

I observed their nervousness as they touched the mouse to point out their sprites, scrolled their screens, and dragged and dropped their coding script palettes across the Scratch interface. 

It was difficult, but they were determined to complete their project. It is a rewarding job to teach coding skills to the young ones. You experience a journey with emotional intelligence, patience, and resilience. Once you see their confidence growing, that moment also becomes yours.

We completed our project with big smiles that conveyed the message, "We can do this."

I take this opportunity to thank the teachers who teamed up to open this opportunity for our kids, especially from this mining farm village, and appreciate the mining company Puma Energy which donated the 40 brand-new desktops and the computer lab to this school.(We are protecting the school name for the safety of their resources.)

#computerscienceeducation #coding #robotics Scratch Raspberry Pi Foundation Rujeko Moyo

I am a STEM Advocate - My short reflection

I have been an active STEM advocate for more than 30 years. I started teaching in 1994 at Ilanga Secondary School. The school used to receive after-school support from Eskom engineers, who taught Mathematics and Science in the afternoons, weekends and holidays. The school was well-known for quality performance when it comes to STEM subjects during those years. This venture motivated me to look back to those years when I started the DigiGirlz Initiative. I will forever be a STEM advocate.

Today, I’m joining many STEM or STEAM advocates who are disappointed by the announcement of the Department of Basic Education, a call to make coding and robotics no longer mandatory. Bad as it looks, I draw some strength from my research, “Grade 8 and 9 girls’ perceptions of coding and robotics in a DigiGirlz workshop in the Nkangala District.”. The study found that many developed countries integrated coding and robotics in other subjects like mathematics, science and computer science and not as a standalone subject like what South Africa aimed to do. Countries in Europe use robotics to inspire kids to follow STEM fields as they grow; no wonder these countries have strong engineering skills. As a STEM advocate, I am implementing similar strategies and will continue to incorporate coding and robotics into STEM education to encourage children, particularly girls, to pursue careers in STEM fields, as gender segregation in these areas remains persistent.

Along my journey, I met professionals, supporters, organisations and those who sponsor my name in various platforms, I learnt from the best. I remember my first supervisor who tend down my first research topic and directed me to the DigiGirlz Initiative for my Master's degree dissertation, Dr Jacqueline Batchelor. "I hope you are still proud of me".

Over the past few years, I joined Prof. Jean Greyling, at the Nelson Mandela University and became an unplugged coding ambassador. I saw and tested the possibility of implementing coding and robotics concepts with a low cost budget and resources. It remains feasible to continue our efforts as we incorporate stronger literacy and numeracy into foundational learning throughout the entire country.