Empowering the Next Generation: ACE Uganda Launches SHEDs Initiative to Champion Women in Data Science

Kampala, Uganda – In a landmark moment for gender equity in STEM education across East Africa, the African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Intensive Sciences (ACE Uganda) officially launched the SHEDs (She – Data Science) project on September 10, 2025. The ceremony, held during the ACE Consortium Meeting at the 4 Points by Sheraton in Kampala, marked a significant step forward in the center’s commitment to dismantling barriers that have historically prevented young women from pursuing careers in bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and data science.

The initiative was inaugurated by Dr. Amina Zawedde, Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for Information Technology and National Guidance, whose passionate advocacy for women’s rights and representation in technology sectors has become a defining feature of her distinguished career in public service.

A Personal Mission Becomes National Policy

Dr. Zawedde’s address at the launch was both deeply personal and powerfully strategic. Drawing from her own experiences navigating male-dominated technology spaces throughout her career, she spoke candidly about the systemic challenges that continue to discourage talented young women from pursuing STEM disciplines.

“When I entered the field of information technology decades ago, I was often the only woman in the room,” Dr. Zawedde reflected. “Today, we have made progress, but the statistics remain stark. Women represent less than 30% of the workforce in data science and AI globally, and in many African countries, that number drops even lower. This is not just a matter of fairness—it is a matter of national competitiveness and innovation.”

The Permanent Secretary emphasized that this issue has become central to her work in government, describing it as “a calling, not just a policy priority.” Her commitment stems from a profound understanding that sustainable development in the Fourth Industrial Revolution requires the full participation of all citizens, regardless of gender.

“We cannot afford to leave half our population behind,” she declared. “The algorithms that shape our future, the datasets that inform our decisions, the AI systems that will transform our healthcare, agriculture, and education—these cannot be built without the perspectives, creativity, and brilliance of women. The SHEDs project recognizes this fundamental truth.”

Addressing the Pipeline Problem

The SHEDs initiative takes a comprehensive approach to addressing what educators call the “leaky pipeline”—the phenomenon whereby girls and young women progressively drop out of STEM pathways from secondary school through university and into professional careers.

ACE Uganda’s program will focus on three critical intervention points:

Early Engagement and Awareness: Beginning at the secondary school level, SHEDs will partner with schools across Uganda to introduce young women to the exciting possibilities within bioinformatics and data science through workshops, mentorship programs, and hands-on coding experiences. The goal is to demystify these fields and demonstrate their relevance to solving real-world problems—from predicting disease outbreaks to optimizing crop yields.

University Support and Retention: For women who choose to pursue undergraduate and graduate studies in these disciplines, SHEDs will provide scholarships, peer support networks, and targeted academic mentoring. The program recognizes that access is only the first step; retention requires creating inclusive learning environments where women can thrive.

Professional Development and Career Pathways: Beyond graduation, SHEDs will facilitate internships, industry connections, and ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure that women successfully transition from education to meaningful careers in data science, bioinformatics, and AI.

Why Women in STEM Matters for Africa’s Future

Dr. Zawedde spent considerable time during her address explaining why gender equity in STEM is not merely a social justice issue, but an economic and developmental imperative for Uganda and the broader African continent.

“Data science and bioinformatics are not abstract academic pursuits,” she explained. “They are the tools we will use to address our most pressing challenges—from combating infectious diseases to ensuring food security in the face of climate change, from improving maternal health outcomes to building smart cities that work for all our citizens.”

Research consistently demonstrates that diverse teams produce more innovative solutions and are better equipped to identify and mitigate bias in algorithmic systems. In fields like bioinformatics and healthcare AI, where algorithms are trained on data and make decisions that directly affect people’s lives, the absence of women’s perspectives can lead to systems that fail to serve half the population adequately.

“When women are excluded from the design of these systems, we risk building a future that perpetuates existing inequalities,” Dr. Zawedde warned. “The SHEDs project is our commitment to ensuring that doesn’t happen in Uganda.”

The Permanent Secretary also highlighted the economic opportunity cost of gender gaps in STEM. Studies suggest that closing gender gaps in STEM fields could add billions to national GDPs across Africa. For young women, careers in data science and bioinformatics offer pathways to economic independence and leadership opportunities in some of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy.

A Vision Rooted in Rights and Dignity

Throughout her remarks, Dr. Zawedde anchored the SHEDs initiative in the broader framework of women’s rights and human dignity. She emphasized that access to education and opportunity in STEM is not a privilege to be granted, but a fundamental right to be protected.

“Every young woman in Uganda has the right to pursue her dreams, to develop her talents, to contribute her genius to our collective future,” she stated. “When we deny women access to STEM education and careers, we are not simply losing their individual contributions—we are violating their fundamental human rights to self-determination and full participation in society.”

This rights-based approach reflects Dr. Zawedde’s long-standing commitment to gender equity, which colleagues describe as the “north star” of her public service. She has consistently championed policies that address the intersection of technology access, education, and women’s empowerment, recognizing that in an increasingly digital world, technological literacy is inseparable from basic civic participation.

Building Institutional Support

The launch of SHEDs also represents a significant institutional commitment from ACE Uganda and its partner organizations. The center has secured initial funding for a five-year pilot program and is actively building partnerships with industry leaders, international research institutions, and women’s rights organizations to ensure the initiative’s long-term sustainability.

Professor Emilian Kamuri, Director of ACE Uganda, emphasized the center’s commitment to making SHEDs a flagship program. “This is not a peripheral initiative for us,” he stated. “Gender equity in bioinformatics and data science is central to our mission as a center of excellence. We are redesigning our curricula, training our faculty on inclusive pedagogy, and creating the physical and social infrastructure necessary to make ACE a place where young women know they belong.”

The consortium meeting itself brought together stakeholders from across East Africa, creating a regional framework for collaboration on women in STEM initiatives. Several partner institutions expressed interest in adapting the SHEDs model for their own contexts, suggesting the potential for regional impact.

Looking Forward

As the launch ceremony concluded, Dr. Zawedde issued a challenge to everyone present—from government officials to university administrators, from industry partners to young women considering STEM careers.

“The SHEDs project can provide resources, create opportunities, and open doors,” she said. “But lasting change requires all of us to examine our assumptions, challenge our biases, and commit to building a more inclusive future. I challenge the men in this room to become active allies. I challenge the institutions represented here to prioritize gender equity in their strategic planning. And I challenge the young women of Uganda—you belong in these spaces. Your voices matter. Your perspectives are needed. Do not let anyone convince you otherwise.”

The Permanent Secretary’s passion was palpable, her commitment unmistakable. For those present, it was clear that the SHEDs initiative is more than a program—it is part of a larger movement to transform Uganda’s technological landscape and ensure that the nation’s brightest minds, regardless of gender, have the opportunity to lead Africa’s digital future.

As Uganda positions itself as a hub for innovation in bioinformatics and data science, the SHEDs project represents a crucial investment in the country’s most valuable resource: its people. By empowering young women to enter and excel in these transformative fields, ACE Uganda is not just changing individual lives—it is helping to write a new chapter in Africa’s development story, one where innovation is truly inclusive and prosperity is genuinely shared.