African Women in AI – Inaugural Town Hall Meeting
Date: May 10, 2025
Time: 12 noon WAT
Platform: Google Meet
Attendance: 31 participants

1. Welcome Address

• Host: Mariam Ekwere
• Purpose: Introduction of the African Women in AI Community Hub
• Mission Statement: Empower African women in technology by fostering innovation, collaboration, and culturally relevant AI solutions.
• Acknowledgements: Appreciation extended to Deep Funding for their support and to trailblazing African women in tech.

2. Community Hub Overview

• The hub will serve as an inclusive space for women from all backgrounds and experience levels in AI.
• Events to be held twice monthly, including:
  • Town Halls
  • “Ask Me Anything” Sessions
• Focus Areas:
  • Training on proposal writing to improve access to funding.
  • Encouraging collaborative project building with local relevance.

3. Keynote Speaker: Idarastar

• Topic: The cultural context of technology in Africa.
• Emphasized that AI should be designed like traditional recipes, rooted in local ingredients and methods.
• Advocated for the inclusion of African languages in AI development to ensure effective communication and accessibility.
• Discussed the need for technology that solves uniquely African challenges, particularly financial inclusion for the unbanked.

4. Speaker Session: Seyi Oluboba

• Shared insights on the perception gap among women in AI, noting only 36% believe it can boost their careers.
• Personal Story: From skepticism to advocacy in using AI for personal and professional growth.
• Key Concerns:
  • The impact of biased datasets on African women.
  • Importance of ethical and inclusive data practices.
  • Urged action to resolve data collection and representation issues in Africa.

5. Key Themes & Takeaways

• AI must reflect African voices, culture, and lived experiences.
• The hub aims to empower African women as innovators and builders, not just users.
• Ongoing efforts will include training, community engagement, and events designed to elevate African talent in the AI space.

6. Next Steps

• Continue monthly events and community engagement.
• Begin training sessions on proposal writing and project development.
• Explore partnerships for ethical data collection and inclusive AI practices.
• Gather feedback from members to inform future programming.

Minutes Prepared by:
Grace Oyedokun
For: African Women in AI Community Hub
Date: May 11, 2025