Developers in Vogue: Training Talent, Changing Futures
Last November, we awarded $50,000 grants to 10 F5 STEM Education Grant partners, around the world to support their work expanding STEM opportunities for women and girls of color.
Over the past few months, we’ve been spotlighting several of our 2024 STEM Education Grant partners and the impactful work they’re doing around the globe.
In this third and final installment in the series, we caught up with Janet Boakye, Partnership and Business Development Manager at Developers in Vogue (DiV). DiV is an inspiring organization based in Ghana, committed to empowering women and girls—especially those without a STEM background—by providing training, mentorship, and career pathways in technology.
Read on to learn how DiV is building a thriving community of immensely talented women who are transforming industries in Africa and beyond.
Q: How did you get involved with Developers in Vogue?
Boakye: It started back in 2017 while I was doing my B.A. in public relations. I attended an event where DiV founder Ivy Barley was speaking, and I really liked how she focused on opening up new opportunities for women—especially in terms of not limiting people from non-STEM backgrounds from thriving in tech.
I’ve always been encouraged to be curious. I like to experiment and research new things. So, I quickly followed her on Facebook and signed up for the second coding boot camp that DiV ran.
Inspired by that experience, I volunteered with the organization, initially supporting a skills program to help train women in Ghana in basic digital skills. That eventually led to a full-time position working on outreach and partnerships.
One of 10 F5 2024 STEM Education Grant partners, Developers in Vogue empowers African women and girls—especially those without a STEM background—by providing training, mentorship, and career pathways in technology.
Q: What makes DiV such a special initiative?
Boakye: DiV pushes women forward, regardless of their academic or economic background.
We do everything we can to equip our students with the opportunities and resources to pursue impactful STEM-related careers.
Notably, around 70% of our program beneficiaries are women from diverse, non-STEM backgrounds. That means they bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and diversity that really stand out in the job market.
To date, we’ve trained over 500 women to become software engineers and introduced thousands more to STEM. We’re very proud of the impact we make, and 85% of those we train have gone on to secure full-time employment.
Q: What kinds of programs are currently available at DiV?
Boakye: Currently, we run our intensive, one-year Tech Accelerator Program, which includes a three-month internship placement, and is aimed at intermediate software developers keen to upgrade their skills and broaden their opportunities in the industry.
We also offer a three-month soft skills and mentorship program and provide one-on-one mentorship with experts in various fields. On top of that, we run outreach programs that support girls in high school via immersive workshops.
Q: How do you ensure so many people go on to secure STEM-related jobs?
Boakye: Our students succeed because they’re empowered and supported at every stage. They’re ready to excel when they leave us.
As they embark on their careers, we help facilitate internships and provide preparatory resources and job application workshops. Ultimately, though, it’s up to them to turn those placements into permanent roles—and more often than not, that’s exactly what happens.
Q; How important are your tutors in making all this possible?
Boakye: Our tutors are really patient, and they have a genuine passion for teaching our students. They truly understand our mission and are committed to helping us achieve it.
We limit our classes to 20 women per tutor, and for our more advanced courses, like the Tech Accelerator Program, it’s 10 students per tutor.
It’s vital that everyone associated with DiV gets as much attention as possible, understand that they are valued, that their opinions matter, and that their potential is fully nurtured.
Q; Do you have any standout success stories that exemplify DiV’s impact?
Boakye: Off the top of my head, there’s one student who joined our web development program back in 2017 and is now working for Microsoft in Norway.
Another alum, a member of our first developer cohort, is currently working for JP Morgan, and a third, from our Tech Accelerator Program, is now a software engineer at SEVN.
There are many more examples, of course, but hopefully that gives you an idea of the kinds of places and sectors where our students are making a difference with their talent.
Q; How has the F5 partnership helped to advance your mission?
Boakye: As a nonprofit, securing funding for our projects is always a challenge. Thanks to F5, we were able to launch the fourth quarter of the Tech Accelerator Program, with 20 women now actively studying to become full-time software engineers. F5’s support also helped us provide laptops to participants.
Finally, we’ve organized coding workshops at five university campuses across Ghana this quarter, reaching hundreds of women.
In a nutshell, F5’s support has been instrumental this year and a key driver of our recent successes.
Q; What’s next for DiV?
Boakye: For developers, we want to keep doing what we’ve been doing but on a larger scale.
So, in 2026, we’re planning to establish Tech Accelerator Hubs beyond Accra in three additional Ghanaian cities. We’re also exploring expansion into other countries, like Kenya and Uganda.
In addition, we’re looking to launch a new range of accessible online courses to extend our reach even further.
Another key goal is to influence policy and help remove some of the obstacles women face in STEM-related professions. Based on our experience, we believe DiV can be instrumental in shaping a better path forward, removing barriers to progress and helping to grow the Ghanaian economy.
To learn more about our STEM Education Grant program, see my previous interviews with 2024 STEM Education Grant partners Maia and Phoenix Space.
Also, stay tuned for our upcoming blog post announcing our 2025 STEM Education Grant partners.