Code Forces, a dynamic team from Makerere University, clinched third place at the 11th annual Absa GirlCode Hackathon, held on October 12, 2025. Their standout creation? Teleka, a savvy student savings app designed to demystify personal finance for young Africans, blending seamless organization with smart investment nudges.
This continental showdown, spanning eight vibrant cities from Johannesburg to Gaborone, was a clarion call for “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI.” Organized by Absa in partnership with GirlCode, the 30-hour frenzy drew fierce competition from over 200 young women, culminating in a Tanzanian triumph and a Johannesburg silver.
For Uganda’s Code Forces—comprising third-year Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering students Ann Treasure Karagwa, Ayan Mustafa Abdirahman, and Shakiran Nanyombi—the podium finish is a launchpad for Teleka’s real-world rollout, addressing a critical void in youth financial empowerment.
As Absa’s sponsorship expands—from three countries in 2024 to five this year—the event signals a seismic shift in Africa’s tech narrative: one where women aren’t just participants but architects of tomorrow’s digital economy. With the grand prize of R100,000 (about UGX 20 million) scooped by Tanzania’s Tokiva Sisters for their youth-focused financial platform, the hackathon proved that inclusive innovation is a blueprint for progress.
The hackathon heat
30 grueling hours, no sleep, just sheer grit and glowing screens. That’s the essence of the Absa GirlCode Hackathon, which kicked off in Kampala and echoed across Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Accra, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Gaborone. Under the theme “Future-Proofing Africa,” teams grappled with thorny challenges at the nexus of FinTech (financial technology for accessible banking), Cybersecurity (safeguarding digital assets in an era of rising threats), and AI (harnessing machine learning for smarter, predictive solutions).
Local heroes Code Forces rose through the ranks with Teleka, an app that gamifies savings for students. Think automated budgeting tools that track campus expenses—from matatu fares to mama mboga runs—while suggesting micro-investments in low-risk assets like government bonds or mutual funds.
“We built Teleka because we saw our peers drowning in debt from unchecked spending,” shares team lead Ann Treasure Karagwa in a post-event interview. “It’s not just an app; it’s a financial lifeline tailored for African youth, with AI-driven insights to predict spending pitfalls and cybersecurity layers to protect user data.”
Silver went to Johannesburg’s Tech Gullies, whose project fused AI with cybersecurity to detect fraud in real-time cross-border remittances—a nod to the $50 billion annual remittance flows into Africa plagued by scams. But it was Tanzania’s Tokiva Sisters who stole the show, earning the top spot with a holistic financial management platform that empowers young people via AI-personalized advice, blockchain-secured transactions, and community-driven savings circles. “Their solution isn’t flashy—it’s functional, scalable, and screams real impact,” notes an Absa judge.
This year’s edition amplified Absa’s footprint, injecting resources into mentorship sessions, cloud credits from AWS partners, and pitch coaching from FinTech veterans. The result? Prototypes poised for incubation, with winners gaining access to Absa’s accelerator programs and GirlCode’s global network.
What they say
Helen Basuuta Nangonzi, Director of Marketing and Customer Experience at Absa Bank Uganda, captured the event’s electric vibe: “The 2025 GirlCode Hackathon has been an inspiring showcase of talent, creativity, and problem-solving. These young women have demonstrated that when women innovate, communities thrive, and economies grow.”
Echoing that sentiment from the strategy helm, Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation, Technology at Absa Regional Operations, delved deeper: “It was truly inspiring to witness how participants tackled the same challenge from diverse angles, each bringing fresh insights and bold, innovative thinking. This is the power of inclusive innovation. At Absa, we believe that empowering women in tech and embracing diverse perspectives is not just a value, it is a catalyst for meaningful change across Africa’s tech landscape.”
GirlCode’s CEO, Zandile Mkwanazi, beamed with pride over the victors: “Tokiva Sisters impressed with a forward-thinking solution aimed at empowering young people to take charge of their finances. Their creativity, skills, and dedication show the remarkable talent young women are bringing to tech. It is exciting to see their project’s potential for real-world impact.”
Mkwanazi didn’t stop there, underscoring the hackathon’s ripple effects: “This year’s hackathon showed exactly how collaboration drives innovation. Young women-built skills, confidence, and networks that will continue long after the event, perfectly illustrating our goal of expanding access and representation in tech.”
Capping it off, Dutuma reflected on the partnership’s north star: “We’re incredibly proud to be part of this journey. Our partnership with GirlCode is about creating access, representation, and opportunities for young women to thrive in technology. This work is important to us, and we hope to extend our impact to more countries in the future, as we continue exploring ways to support initiatives that foster meaningful and inclusive innovation across Africa.”
