Giving Back
21st Century Girls
Empowering the next generation of female innovators through free coding, AI, and robotics education.
10
Years of Impact
1000s
Girls Trained
5
Polytechnics
4
Core Programs
The Mission
Closing the gender gap in tech, one girl at a time.
Founded in 2014 by Dr. Ayesha Khanna, 21st Century Girls delivered free coding, artificial intelligence, metaverse, Web3, and robotics modules for young girls and mid-career women across Singapore for a decade.
As a founding partner in Code in the Community and Empower: AI for Singapore, the charity reached thousands of students with the support of Google, PayPal, Visa, and the Infocomm Media Development Authority.
Ayesha was featured in the Singapore government's campaign to promote girls in tech education, and was named one of Singapore's 100 Women in Technology.
Watch
Code in the Community
Singapore's largest program providing free coding classes to children from disadvantaged backgrounds — a partnership between 21st Century Girls, Google, and IMDA.
Programs
Building Future Leaders
Code in the Community
Ages 8–16
Singapore's largest program providing free coding classes to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. A six-year initiative funded by Google and IMDA, teaching Scratch & Python to thousands of children.
Empower: AI for Girls
Polytechnic Students
A 10-week AI program in partnership with Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Girls learn AI techniques, code ML models in Python, connect problems to AI solutions, and explore the ethics of AI.
Women in Tech Reskilling
Mid-Career Women
Comprehensive modules for mid-career women to transition into tech, with user-friendly learning covering AI, Web3, and current industry trends.
"The gender gap is closing, but very slowly. I see more women taking up computer science, but they often stop their journey before they get to the board level. It's called the 'broken ladder', and we're trying to figure out why it happens and what kind of support is required."
— Dr. Ayesha Khanna, Founder & CEO
Philosophy
Our Principles
Computational Thinking
Teaching conceptual understanding of technology, not just tools — fostering the logical and analytical power that drives innovation.
Interdisciplinary
Projects blend design, engineering, and diverse domains — from geography to film — encouraging collaboration and systems thinking.
Ethics
The responsible use of technology is fundamental. We ensure students understand both the benefits and risks of the tools they create.
Creativity
Technology as creative expression. Prototyping instills persistence, comfort with failure, and entrepreneurial thinking.
Partners & Legacy
"We are grateful to our partners Google, PayPal, Visa and the Infocomm Media Development Authority for their partnership in educating girls in tech."
21st Century Girls operated from 2014 to 2024, delivering a decade of free technology education. Dr. Khanna remains a committed advocate for equipping women with the skills to lead in an AI-driven world — and continues to champion inclusive innovation through every initiative she supports.
