‘Pioneer of African Women in Tech’: Interview with Dorcas Muthoni

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• Dorcas Muthoni helped bring Internet connectivity to Kenya’s universities and later founded AfChix, a pan-African network empowering women in technology.
• Her pioneering efforts in education, open-source adoption and digital inclusion have made her one of Africa’s most influential Internet innovators.

This interview is part of BTW Media’s new series, ‘The History of the Internet,’ which interviews the key engineers and computer scientists who helped build and create the Internet.

Dorcas Muthoni is a Kenyan computer scientist and entrepreneur best known for her leadership in expanding access to the Internet across Africa. As founder and CEO of Open World Limited, she built software systems for governments and enterprises while mentoring a generation of technologists. Through AfChix, the non-profit network she created in 2004, she has trained and connected hundreds of women in computing. Muthoni’s career spans the early days of university networking to today’s digital-infrastructure movement — a journey that mirrors Africa’s Internet transformation.

Also read: The ‘father of the internet’: Interview with Vint Cerf

A 24-Year-Old’s African Tech Dream: From Entrepreneur to Pan-African Software Provider

Muthoni recalled that her first experience with the Internet came while studying computer science at university in Kenya. Few institutions were connected at the time, so gaining access felt “like stepping into a new world”. She and her classmates quickly began using it for research and communication, realising its potential to bridge knowledge gaps.

“We could suddenly look up information and collaborate beyond our campus. It changed how we thought about learning.”

That moment sparked a lifelong interest in digital connectivity — one that would later define her professional mission.

Code and Original Aspiration: Building a Tech Bridge for Girls

Moved by the lack of women in African tech (Software Freedom Day 2004), Muthoni launched a high school girls’ tech program and founded AfChix the same year. AfChix, now active across Senegal, Morocco and beyond, uses workshops and mentoring to boost female STEM participation. Her mantra: “Embracing tech lets women advance”—a mission that empowers countless girls.

From Entrepreneur to Industry Benchmark: A Tech Woman’s Influence in the Boardroom

In 2020, Muthoni joined HF Group’s board (HFC subsidiary) as a non-executive director, a milestone earned through 20+ years in tech. Her company Open World leads African tech consulting, and her gender empowerment work makes her a “value-driven” leader. In the male-dominated fintech space, she guides HFC’s digital transformation, proving women’s role as core decision-makers.

A Legacy in Her Name: The Life-Changing PhD Scholarship Program

Honored by Spain’s Pompeu Fabra University (2017) for empowering African women, Muthoni inspired the eponymous PhD scholarship (ICT focus). For African women, it funds research and requires post-graduation return to Africa’s ICT sector. Launched in 2018, its 2024 cycle drew pan-African applicants, creating a “cultivate-return” loop for her legacy.