As a teenager, Camille Ananyi isn’t waiting for the future, she’s building it. Born in Nigeria, raised between Lagos and California’s Silicon Valley, Camille has walked both worlds.
She remembers vividly the early days in Lagos, curious, eager, and full of questions, but with limited access to tech role models who looked like her.
That all changed one summer when she stumbled upon a beginner coding course using Scratch at the CoCreation Hub in Yaba. That spark lit a fire.
Years later, standing at the heart of the global tech capital as a student at Menlo School, Camille decided to give that spark a name and a mission. SPARK Tech Africa was born: a platform to Support Passionate Africans through Relationships, Knowledge, and Tech.
Launched in Lagos, SPARK Tech Africa is not just another tech initiative, it’s a movement designed by a teenager who knows what it’s like to need a mentor, and who now wants to be the reason someone else never feels alone on their journey.
“SPARK is my way of giving back the guidance I once received,” Camille says. “I’ve had the privilege of learning from brilliant minds at Stanford, Berkeley, and through programs like MAGIC. But I never forgot where my journey started, or the thousands of girls still waiting for a chance to begin theirs.”
A Platform Built with Purpose
SPARK’s mission is clear: connect African teenage girls with world-class tech mentors, from Silicon Valley to Nairobi, and help them build skills, confidence, and real-world solutions.
Through its smart portal, SPARK offers:
- The Learn Page – A library of beginner-friendly coding and project-based resources.
- Matching Page – AI-assisted pairing of mentees and mentors based on shared goals.
- Women’s Stories – Video interviews of women in tech, sharing real stories and advice.
- Progress Page – Weekly updates that track growth, challenges, and successes.
- Final Showcase – A gallery of completed projects, with top entries earning a spot at the Silicon Valley summer camp.
From Lagos to the Valley
Each year, SPARK runs from December to April, culminating in an exclusive two-week summer camp in Silicon Valley for the top mentees.
There, these girls not only visit tech giants, they present their ideas, network with global innovators, and see what’s possible when dreams meet opportunity.
The first cohort has already sparked excitement, with applications for the 2025–2026 cycle now open. Camille’s goal? Equip 10,000 African girls in the next five years with the tools to build, lead, and transform.
“Tech is the tool, but mentorship is the fuel,” Camille adds. “If one girl can go from Scratch in Yaba to coding at Berkeley, imagine what a generation of girls can do when they’re connected.”
Join the Movement
SPARK is currently open to both mentees and mentors who believe in the power of girls, guidance, and global tech impact.
Visit he website to apply or volunteer.
Because when one girl rises, the future lights up for us all.
