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