While many stories of empowerment begin on global stages, Raïssa Banhoro’s journey started with a simple but urgent observation: too many women in Côte d’Ivoire were being left behind in the digital age.
Faced with widespread illiteracy, limited numeracy skills and a lack of accessible digital tools, Banhoro realised that traditional tech solutions were not designed for the realities of African women in underserved communities. Instead of waiting for change, she built it.
Building Lucie: Côte d’Ivoire’s First Mobile Literacy App
Determined to close the digital gender gap, Banhoro developed Lucie — Côte d’Ivoire’s first mobile literacy app featuring local-language vocal assistance.
Lucie was designed to tackle three critical barriers at once: literacy, numeracy and digital accessibility. By integrating voice support in local languages, the app made learning intuitive and inclusive for women who had previously been excluded from formal education and digital spaces.
The innovation positioned Banhoro not just as a tech founder, but as a social architect — someone using technology as a tool for economic and social transformation.
From Digital Access to Economic Power
But Banhoro didn’t stop at literacy.
Recognising that access to knowledge must translate into opportunity, she pioneered a model of free, intensive digital training for youth not in employment, education or training. The result? A 100% employment rate for graduates.
In a continent where youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing challenges, her model demonstrates that when young women are equipped with relevant digital skills, they don’t just participate in the economy — they reshape it.
Her work highlights a powerful truth: investing in women in tech is not charity; it is economic strategy.
Celebrating Women Who Give Africa More
Banhoro is one of 55 trailblazing women being honoured by KFC Africa ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, under the global theme Give to Gain.
“These are not just stories of individual achievement,” says Akhona Qengqe, General Manager of KFC Africa. “These are stories of women who give Africa more. They give access where there was exclusion. They give opportunity where prospects were limited. They give hope where there was none.”
For 55 years, KFC Africa has invested in communities across its 22 markets, with women making up 60% of its workforce. Each year, the brand honours female changemakers who are driving progress in their respective fields.
This year’s focus on giving recognises women whose impact may not always dominate headlines, but whose work fundamentally transforms communities.
From Pageants to Parliament
Among the honourees is Lesego Chombo, who was crowned Miss Botswana in 2022 and later became Miss World Africa. After concluding her reign in November 2024, she made history as Botswana’s youngest cabinet minister when appointed Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs.
She is currently leading efforts on a Gender-Based Violence Bill focused on protection, care, support and prevention — demonstrating how influence can evolve into institutional power.
Women in Tech: From Visibility to Voice
For Banhoro, however, empowerment is coded into every line of software and every training cohort she launches.
Across Africa, women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Limited access to digital infrastructure, funding and mentorship often stalls progress before it begins.
By building inclusive tech platforms and training ecosystems, Banhoro is not only increasing women’s visibility in tech — she is amplifying their voice and economic independence.
Her work reflects a broader movement across the continent, where African women technologists are building solutions rooted in local realities rather than imported models.
The Ripple Effect of Giving
Chief People, Culture and Purpose Officer Nolo Thobejane says the Give to Gain theme resonates deeply with KFC’s long-standing empowerment initiatives.
“When women are given access to opportunity and leadership pathways, families gain economic mobility. Communities gain stability. Businesses gain stronger leadership,” she says.
The ripple effect is clear in Banhoro’s work. When one woman gains digital literacy, she gains access to markets, banking, education and entrepreneurship. When thousands gain these skills, entire local economies shift.
When Women Code, Africa Rises
The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025 projects that gender parity in sub-Saharan Africa remains more than a century away. But women like Raïssa Banhoro are not waiting.
They are building systems now. Training talent now. Creating opportunity now.
By designing technology that meets women where they are — linguistically, educationally and economically — Banhoro is proving that Africa’s digital future must be inclusive to be sustainable.
