Girl Code Movement

We are a pan African youth led, girl centered organization revolutionizing Africa’s economic landscape by empowering young women to architect new industries.

[Buildwithlav🔺️🌱 @lavenderesther1]

Fintech is quietly being redefined and Kenya is right at the center of it.

At @SafaricomPLC Decode today, a few things stood out:

• The shift toward agentic payments; where transactions become autonomous, not just user-initiated
• Tokenization evolving merchants into issuers (think virtual cards tied to businesses, not just banks)
• A stronger push for national payment infrastructure as a foundation for scale
• Data is now the battleground.With data minimization, protection laws, and AI risk frameworks taking priority
• The reality of financial crime + P2P vulnerabilities, forcing systems like M-pesa to rethink flows.

What’s clear:
We’re moving from fintech products → to financial intelligence systems.

The real question now isn’t “what can we build?”
It’s: what should we build and how responsibly can we scale it?

[Buildwithlav🔺️🌱 @lavenderesther1]

Over the weekend @novapioneer_ke in Tatu City, I spent time with a room full of young builders, aged 18–24, asking the kinds of questions that many founders only arrive at much later in their journey. The conversation was extensively about execution, patience, positioning, and what it truly takes to build solutions that lasts.

On the panel, alongside @WinnieGathu. CEO and Founder of Girl Code, and @MwendaThuranira , CEO & Founder of @MyspaceProperties , one theme kept returning: infrastructure.

Because ecosystems do not scale on ideas alone. They scale when the systems work, when the foundations are solid, and when founders understand that great positioning is not cosmetic; it is leverage.

We spoke about the trap of “stealth mode,” and how easy it is to confuse perfection with progress. We challenged the myth of instant returns in Web3, and what it means to commit to work that may take years before it shows its full value. As Balaji Srinivasan writes in The Network State, “A network state is a social network with a clear leader, an integrated cryptocurrency, a definite purpose…” a reminder that serious movements are built with clarity, coordination, and long-term intent.

The room shifted from theory to action with a pitch competition bringing the work to life. It was inspiring to see teams that had spent sleepless nights building, iterating, and showing up for office hours. From Agritech to Fintech, enterprise solutions, and decentralized distribution models, the quality of thinking was encouraging.

One team, led by Mohammed, stood out with an ERP system for enterprises in emerging markets. Practical. Demonstrates Economic value. Needed. The kind of solution that is ready for market.

That moment said everything;The youth are no longer just consuming technology. They are actively shaping it.

They are building, shipping, and learning in public.

And when we give them the right environment , clear systems, strong infrastructure, and candid feedback they will not just participate in the future of tech,they will define it.

This felt like the quiet beginning of a great movement.

Thank you to @Eddie for hosting such a powerful gathering.

It was also a privilege to be on the judging panel with The Burns Brothers and to gain a firsthand perspective on what investors look for when backing a team and with Mwenda Thuranira , thank you for sharing the stage and bringing such valuable perspective.

Congratulations to all the teams that participated. Keep building. Keep refining. Keep shipping. 🔺

[Buildwithlav🔺️🌱 @lavenderesther1]

Love the ongoing Pre session ahead of IWD event.Currently setting up our @coreapp @claudeai as we continue building on @avax

[Avalanche🔺 @avax]

A single builder can transform an economy.

A successful business can lift up hundreds more.

In economics the term for this is Anchor Firms: Where a single successful business can create an entire industry around it.

We see the same effect in blockchain networks.

Uniswap, Opensea, and pumpfun all created economies around them.

To understand this, let’s go over two examples in the real world to inform us of the future onchain.

1. A successful business can lift up hundreds more.

This is the story of a single Costco in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.

Where a single business transformed an economically stagnant area into a thriving commercial hub with dozens of successful business around it.

The story starts in 2023.

Costco opened a massive superstore in the middle of a rice field.

We saw a few things happen immediately.

> Attracted customers to the region.

Shoppers from neighboring cities began traveling to the region, and after driving over an hour to shop, they were motivated to make a day of it by visiting local restaurants and shops.

Uplifting seemingly unrelated local businesses.

> Boosting nearby niche markets

While Costco provided essential items in bulk, local shops filled niche markets focusing on **higher-margin products**. Stimulating local demand and allowing them to raise prices because the community now had more disposable income.

Uplifting seemingly unrelated local businesses.

We see the same effect in blockchain.

We understand not everyone can just build a “Costco”, so lets explore an example on the individual level.

2. A single builder can transform an economy.

This is the story of how Bill Naito revitalized Portland, Oregon.

In the early 1970s downtown Portland was losing momentum.

Retail was drifting outward. Historic buildings sat underused. Most developers left the city.

Bill Naito did not.

Naito grew up in Portland. After serving in WWII and post-war Japan, he returned home with a deep attachment to the city. He believed downtown was deeply undervalued.

The bones were there, but the activity was not.

Bill, a single man with a vision, would go onto transforming the struggling city to what it is today.

Through his family business, Bill began acquiring neglected historic properties and restoring them. he reopened the former Olds, Wortman & King department store as The Galleria. He helped reframe the district from “Skid Road” to Old Town.

His space lead to Portland Saturday Market. Today, that market draws roughly 750,000 visitors annually and generates around $12 million in sales. All from a parking lot.

Other businesses followed. The people came back.

Naito did not revive Portland alone, but he got it started. He made others see the value.

One person has the vision.
The crowd follows.
Economics shift.

Think of Avalanche as a city.

It can start with one builder. And it can happen anywhere.

🔺

[Buildwithlav🔺️🌱 @lavenderesther1]

Great session ongoing with the girls in Nairobi building RWA on @avax using @claudeai intergrating with AI on IWD 🔺 🔺

[Team1 Africa @Team1Africa_]

Recapping SheBuilds Nairobi this International Women’s Day. 🔺

“One of my biggest takeaways was realizing that AI and Web3 aren’t as intimidating as they seem. I learned far more than I expected.” Rachel, attendee

SheBuilds brought women builders together to explore AI-assisted development, LLM integrations, and Chainlink-powered applications on Avalanche.

From idea → prototype, the room was full of builders collaborating, experimenting, and shipping real solutions.

Grateful to our amazing speakers, the community that showed up, and @AvaxTeam1 for supporting the mission of growing more women builders in the ecosystem🔺

Cc.@PLPAfrica @GOC_officially @Girl_codeMvmnt

[Team1 Africa @Team1Africa_]

Very few spots remaining. RSVP using this link

https://t.co/0hFK7z9zBZ

[Team1 Africa @Team1Africa_]

🔺👯‍♀️ 190+ women already registered… are you ready to build?

This International Women’s Day, @AvaxTeam1 Kenya is bringing together women builders, developers, and innovators for SheBuilds Nairobi, a hands-on session designed to help participants learn fast, prototype ideas, and build real applications on @avax .

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s on the agenda:

🔺 Understand Avalanche blockchain fundamentals with @sharonkitavii
☁️ Learn to @claudeai code with @SpideyInc
🔗 Integrate real-world data using Chainlink oracles with @AkarianjahiW
🚀 Prototype a real-world application with your team during the guided builder session

This is a builder experience for women ready to explore AI, blockchain and emerging technologies together.

📍 Blockchain Centre, Nairobi
📅 8th March
⏰ 3PM – 6PM EAT

Let’s celebrate International Women’s Day by building the future.

S/O to our partners @PLPAfrica @foeg_Labs @GOC_officially @Girl_codeMvmnt

RSVP below ⤵️

[Girls On-chain @GOC_officially]

Join us for She Builds IWD build session in Nairobi 🇰🇪.

🗓 March 8th | 3–6PM
📍 Blockchain Centre

RSVP here;https://t.co/D5d7Cbmuh0

Reply with what you’d love to build 👇🏽 and we will share a few starter ideas.

#SheBuildsIWD2026 #WomenInTech #BuildInPublic

[Girls On-chain @GOC_officially]

We are pleased to partner with @AvaxAfrica for their exclusive women Connect in Nairobi.

Join us as we reset and connect as we ease into 2026 🧘‍♀️✨
Limited slots available. Don’t sleep on this.
RSVP → https://t.co/J8RvkTXKDZ

[Team1 Africa @Team1Africa_]

TEAM1 KENYA WOMEN CONNECT is live this Friday. Kenya’s builders are writing the next chapter of Web3 on Avalanche with @avax. This thread spotlights our speakers,founders, ambassadors, and policy voices plus the three sessions shaping the day🔺

🔺Panel 1 “Building Her future on Avalanche”
• @sharonkitavii — Founder, Avacertify ,driving digital trust
• @shalomkeya25 — Founder, Olive wellness ,health & wellness innovation
• @Salma_Adam_KE — Founder, Kanda .Community-led commerce
• Moderator: Cherise — Cyber Security Analyst

Hosted by @AvaxTeam1 Kenya

[Team1 Africa @Team1Africa_]

Panel 2: “from builders to ecosystem architects”.
Join us @BCentreNBO on 24th October as we chat with incredible panel including ;

@kiminza_codes —Founder @Metanexus
@NjugunaMs1 —Founder @TechRiftAfrica
@mercy_nimo28 —Ambassador @Scroll_ZKP
Mod: @Ivy —Founder @SolutionArchitect

RSVP Now: https://t.co/AspbLIdS6m

What you will learn
• How builders grow into ecosystem architects
• Designing orgs, incentives, and partnerships

[Team1 Africa @Team1Africa_]

🔺🔺 Session Two ✅ Knowledge Sharing Sessions was great!

Builders are leveling up,exploring Avalanche Consensus and L1 architecture, @coreapp set up, certificates earned from @avax Academy , and momentum growing across Africa 🌍🔥

Next up:Building your Smart Contracts and deploying on C chain using Core wallet!

Thanks to our tutors tonight @0xxxIaN0 @SHAMMAHDAVE @Marcellikind .

[BuidlGuidl.eth @buidlguidl]

Wondering how to get into the first ever Speedrun Ethereum meetup?
We got:
-> cool merch
-> drinks
-> a chance to talk with the builders of Speedrun Ethereum

Check the second tweet! 👇

[Buildwithlav🔺️🌱 @lavenderesther1]

Shout out to the visionary founders on this panel discussing the transition of female founders from being builders to thriving ecosystem architects.

[HackQuest Africa @hackquestafrica]

Grateful to see women in blockchain connecting deeply sharing lessons, opportunities, and the drive to shape the future of Web3 together. This is how we build stronger, smarter communities. 💡🤝 #WomenConnect #BlockchainForGood #HackQuestAfrica

[Safe Nest @safenest_defi]

Our mobile DeFi app simplifies finance for the 1.4 B unbanked.🙌Join us today.More to come!🥳#defi#SafeNest.

[Buildwithlav🔺️🌱 @lavenderesther1]

Startup founders Spotlight #1 🌟
Today we’re featuring @AvaCertify , a certificate issuance system built on @avax

Born during our very first L1 Days cohort with @AvaxTeam1 & @AvaxAfrica 🇰🇪 , when builders gathered for study sessions and shared ideas, AvaCertify stood out early as a simple yet powerful concept. Since then, they’ve grown steadily refining their MVP and now on track to onboard their first 100 users.

Built for institutions that need tamper-proof, verifiable records, AvaCertify issues certificates directly on Avalanche so they stay public, secure, and easy to verify.

The team has also won multiple hackathons with this project, proof of both their persistence and the real potential behind their idea.

For learners and employees, this means credentials that can’t be faked and remain instantly verifiable. Trust from day one.

[Ivy Njoroge @Connected_Bi]

By the end of the night, call me Master Ivy. 🥷 @foeg_Labs @lavenderesther1

[FOEG @foeg_Labs]

🥉 3rd Place @KweliChain

KweliChain is a blockchain-based KYC & document verification system tackling fake IDs, degrees & certificates across Africa.

It offers a trustless, secure & affordable verification layer for institutions, employers & individuals. 🔐