Over the past three weeks, I have had the privilege of facilitating a Foundation of Software Development training at Ntare School – Mbarara, focused on equipping young women with practical web development skills.
The opportunity for these young women to participate in the Foundation of Software Development training was made possible through the 10X Program, a fully funded digital skills initiative implemented by Refactory Academy in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Outbox Uganda, UNCDF, and WITU. The 10X Program is specifically designed to equip young women aged 18–35 across Uganda with practical digital skills and connect them to meaningful work opportunities in the digital economy. By removing financial barriers, the program provides free access to high-quality training in areas such as web development, product design, and software development. It places a strong emphasis on inclusion, actively supporting unemployed women, persons with disabilities, refugees, and individuals from diverse educational backgrounds. Through this initiative, the participants at Ntare School were able to gain valuable technical and professional skills that would otherwise have been out of reach, highlighting the critical role such programs play in expanding opportunities for young women in tech.
What the Participants Learned
The three-week training combined technical web development skills with essential soft skills. Here’s a breakdown of what was covered:
Week 1: Foundations
- Life skills and personal development
- Problem-solving using Human-Centred Design
- Introduction to computing and digital tools
Week 2: Web Development
- HTML5 and CSS3 fundamentals
- Building personal and multi-page websites
- Introduction to freelancing and professionalism
Week 3: Tools & Projects
- Content Management Systems (WordPress, Webflow, Wix)
- Project development and technical coaching
- Work-readiness training
What has been most inspiring is seeing the transition from beginners to confident creators. These young women have not only learned how to code but have also successfully deployed their projects live on the internet using Netlify.
“Everyone should learn how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.” — Steve Jobs
The training adopted a learner-centered approach, placing the young women at the center of the learning process. Rather than relying on traditional lecture-based instruction, the sessions were designed to be highly interactive, practical, and supportive. A project-based learning methodology was used, where participants learned HTML5 and CSS3 by immediately applying concepts to build real websites from the very first week. Learning was scaffolded — starting with foundational concepts and gradually increasing in complexity as the learners gained confidence. Hands-on practice, paired with guided exercises and real-time feedback, allowed participants to learn by doing. Collaborative learning was also encouraged through peer discussions and troubleshooting sessions, fostering a supportive environment where the ladies could learn from one another. This approach not only helped them develop strong technical skills in web development but also built their confidence, problem-solving abilities, and independence as emerging developers.
Beyond the technical training in HTML5 and CSS3, participants were also equipped with essential non-technical skills designed to prepare them for both professional and personal success. The program included dedicated sessions on life skills and personal development, covering goal setting, public speaking, effective communication, personality awareness, and teamwork. Participants also engaged in problem-solving workshops using Human-Centred Design principles, learning how to identify real community challenges and develop digital solutions to address them. In addition, the training introduced them to freelancing and business fundamentals, including how to identify problems worth solving, navigate freelance platforms, price their services appropriately, and maintain professionalism in client delivery. A strong emphasis was also placed on work-readiness training, helping the young women build the confidence, mindset, and practical competencies needed to transition into tech-related opportunities or further studies. This holistic approach ensured that participants did not only gain coding skills but also developed the soft skills and entrepreneurial mindset necessary to thrive in today’s digital economy.
Websites Built by the Participants
Here are some of the amazing websites created and hosted by the ladies during the training:
- Martha Adongo – https://marthaadongo.netlify.app/
- Jermimah – https://jermimah.netlify.app
- Atherine – https://atherine.netlify.app/
- Irawo – https://irawo.netlify.app/contact
- Asiimwe Colette – https://asiimwecolette.netlify.app/
- Nahwera Patience – https://nahwerapatience.netlify.app/
- Akiteng Deborah – https://akitengdeborah.netlify.app/
- Jermi Gold – https://jermigold.netlify.app/
- Kwarisiima Benia – https://kwarisiimabenia.netlify.app/
- Nahwera Mackline – https://nahweramackline.netlify.app/
- Nagaba Angel – https://nagabaangel.netlify.app/
- Ainembabazi Prima – https://ainembabaziprima.netlify.app/
- Nabimanya Racheal – https://nabimanyarachealt.netlify.app/
- Twikirize Naume – https://twikirizenaume.netlify.app/
- Atukunda Shivan – https://atukundashivan.netlify.app/
- Oliver Kasande – https://oliverkasande.netlify.app/
- Namakura – https://namakura.netlify.app
These projects are a testament to their creativity, dedication, and growing technical skills.
Gratitude to Refactory Uganda
This training was made possible through my engagement as a consultant with Refactory Uganda, who hired me to support this cohort of young women.
Refactory Uganda is doing remarkable work in building Uganda’s tech talent pipeline. They run high-quality software engineering training programs, prepare young people for careers in technology, and partner with organizations to deliver practical, industry-relevant skills. Their commitment to creating opportunities for young Africans in tech continues to inspire many of us in the ecosystem.
I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this initiative and for the trust they placed in me to deliver this training.
Understanding Netlify and GitHub
For those following this journey or interested in learning how to host their own projects, here’s a quick background:
Netlify is a modern web hosting platform that makes it incredibly easy to deploy static websites (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). With just a few clicks, developers can take a project from their computer and make it live on the internet with free SSL, fast global delivery, and continuous deployment. It’s especially popular among beginners and frontend developers because of its simplicity.
GitHub, on the other hand, is a platform used for version control and collaboration. It allows developers to save different versions of their code, work together with others, and track changes over time. Many developers use GitHub together with Netlify — they push their code to GitHub, and Netlify automatically deploys it live.
Learning these two tools is a major step for anyone starting in web development, as they form part of the modern workflow used by professional developers worldwide.
Looking Ahead
This three-week training has shown what is possible when young women are given access to quality, hands-on digital skills training. The confidence, creativity, and technical growth I’ve witnessed have been truly encouraging.
I remain committed to creating more opportunities for young people — especially women — to gain practical tech skills that can open doors to employment, entrepreneurship, and further learning.
If you are a school, organization, or institution looking to run similar web development training programs for students or young women, I would be glad to discuss how we can collaborate.
