Application for the class of 2019 is now open!!
AkiraChix is a center for excellence and believes that access to education and training is of paramount importance for young women to support them in moving out of the vicious cycle of low-skills, low-productivity, and low-wage employment and as a pathway to bridging the gender gap in Information & Technology industry.
codeHive is one year fully funded hands-on technical training program by AkiraChix that provides an education and economic opportunity to young women between the age of 19-24 from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These young women are those that have completed high school but due to financial constraints are unable to further their education. The program aims to develop capacity and skills in computer literacy, software development (for both mobile and web applications), hardware & product design, graphic design, entrepreneurship, life skills, communication skills, and professional development.
One goal of AkiraChix is to help you develop as a unique individual—to be educated as a whole person, intellectually, emotionally, socially and ethically. Your development and learning as an individual occur, in part, when you engage in relationships with others and in activities that optimally challenge you. To enhance your growth and learning, become actively involved in the life of the AkiraChix community, engage your fellow students, faculty, staff, and AkiraChix various communities of interests and form relationships that both challenge and support your growth.
Your journey of individual development does not occur in isolation; it takes place within a dynamic learning community. As a diverse institution AkiraChix attempts to balance its needs—to foster freedom for individual growth, to support its various communities of interests, and to fulfill its broader teaching and skills development mission.
TO BE ELIGIBLE
To be eligible applicants must
- Have a minimum grade of C-
- Between the age of 19 – 24
- Completed high school no later than 2017
- Fluent in English
- Interested in Technology or using Technology to bring change to communities
- Available full time from Jan -Dec 2019, and expected to stay on campus for the duration of the program.
- Demonstrate leadership i.e be able to demonstrate your involvement in leadership activities either at home, school, church, and community
- Committed to service
- Be a changemaker
Every young woman admitted to the codeHive program receives financial assistants that allow them to go through the program. The cost of tuition per student is $5100 , this covers:
- One year tuition-free, accommodation, extracurricular activities, meals, transportation, and personal amenities.
- Training facilities including high-speed internet, biometric security control, and recreational centers.
- Access to health care, including group medical insurance.
- Access to technology hubs and maker spaces in Nairobi for tech events and prototyping respectively.
- Access to a selected pool of mentors, who will advise on careers and personal growth. “Women in Tech Role models”.
- Access to 6 months incubation after the one-year codeHive program dedicated to finding and securing employment for codeHive graduates as well as business mentoring and incubation for early-stage startups.
The AkiraChix ‘Hand Up’ Honour System
The codeHive course is purposefully kept free to ensure that the opportunity is open and accessible to the best candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, we believe that it gives dignity to the students to provide them with a concrete opportunity to provide a ‘Hand Up’ to the next person on the ladder once they have successfully graduated from the Akirachix programme and found gainful employment. Details of the honor system are shared with the selected candidates and a social agreement signed.
Selection steps
- 1st step – Shortlisting
- 2nd step – One on one interviews
- 3rd step – Final 50 are selected and announced
Application Timeline
- Dec 3rd – Application open
- Jan 9th – Application closes
- Jan 12th – Jan 15th – Review of applications by AkiraChix
- Jan 15th – Shortlisted Applicants are invited for a one on one interview
- Jan 20th – Final 50 are selected and contacted
- 1st Feb – Orientation and enrollment into the campus