Meet the women making it possible for girls

Yet, for countless young girls, the idea of becoming a coder still feels out of reach. The tech industry is still seen as a man’s world, but two inspiring women are on a mission to change that.

At Code Ninjas – where kids learn to code by building their own video games – the message is clear: coding isn’t just for boys. This International Women’s Day, Meha Meghani, Centre Owner of Code Ninjas Borehamwood and St Albans, and Sophie Johnston, Centre Director of Code Ninjas Chelmsford, are on a mission to break stereotypes and show girls they belong in tech just as much as anyone else.

For Meha, coding isn’t just about teaching a skill – it’s about sparking creativity and helping girls realise the endless possibilities tech can offer. Her journey into the tech world began with a startling realisation about the industry’s gender imbalance.

“In my previous career, I couldn’t understand why the gender balance was so low when it came to female engineers – 300 engineers in total, and only two were women!” explained Meha. “I teamed up with organisations like Women Who Code and discovered that the problem started young. Girls weren’t being encouraged to explore STEM careers. That’s what led me to launch Code Ninjas in Borehamwood and later St Albans.”

Determined to inspire the next generation, Meha knew that girls needed to see women thriving in tech roles. That’s why she made it her mission to recruit female Senseis – the young mentors who guide students on their coding journeys.

“We have two female Senseis who are fantastic role models for our female Ninjas, which is the name we use for our students,” explained Meha. “40% of our Ninjas across both our centres and school partnership programmes are girls – a number we’re incredibly proud of. We also work with an all-girls school to encourage more girls to get into coding and tech. When girls see role models who look like them, they feel empowered and start to believe they can lead, innovate and succeed in traditionally male-dominated fields.”

Sophie shares Meha’s passion for empowering girls through creativity and fun. She wants girls to see coding as more than just computers and instead about imagination, problem-solving and creating something uniquely their own.

“I try to show girls who come for trial sessions that you don’t have to be super techie to enjoy coding – it’s about having fun, making games and being creative,” said Sophie. “It’s important to challenge the idea that coding is just for boys or that you need to be a certain type of person to enjoy STEM. If girls feel safe and see others like them having fun, it helps them build confidence and continue their coding journey.”

For Sophie, representation matters. “I think it’s crucial for them to see a woman in this role. Just having a female figure teaching them to code helps break the stereotype that coding is only for boys. At our centre, we make sure they feel comfortable and confident from day one. It’s about creating a space where they don’t feel out of place – where they see other girls who are just as excited about coding as they are.”

For parents of young girls who might be hesitant to try coding because of traditional stereotypes, Meha and Sophie have some advice: just give it a go.

“My biggest piece of advice would be: don’t be afraid to try,” said Sophie. “I never imagined myself learning how to code, but I jumped in and figured it out along the way. If you enjoy problem-solving or are good at maths, that’s already half the battle won. Coding is all about logic and thinking creatively, and girls are naturally great problem-solvers. Just give it a go – the worst that can happen is that you learn something new.”

Meha added: “Embrace your passion, actively seek out different learning opportunities, and connect with women and men in tech – you’ll be surprised how many male allies you’ll find on your journey! Join coding communities, challenge yourself with new projects and, most importantly, believe in yourself!”