Become a Mentor

Become a Mentor

Do you want to help young software developers in Rwanda unlock their potential?

Are you passionate about guiding emerging talent and using tech to drive real change?

Join the Code2Unlock Hackathon this September and guide emerging developers in Rwanda. This is your chance to share your expertise and explore Rwanda’s growing tech scene.

What will you be doing?

  • Actively support the hackathon finalists during the Crunch Week in Kigali (September 14–19, 2025).
  • Review projects, codebase, and offer constructive feedback.
  • Support teams as they prepare their pitch for Graduation Day.
  • Lead a 1-hour deep-dive session on a technical topic of your choice for all mentees.

Why Mentor?

  • Share your knowledge with talented, driven developers who are eager to learn and grow
  • Discover Rwanda and the energy of its fast-growing tech ecosystem
  • Help bridge the opportunity gap in tech — one PR at a time
  • Experience the power of tech to transcend cultures and borders
  • Have fun by building tech with Rwandan     developers.

About the Mentees

The participants you’ll be mentoring are passionate Rwandan university students enrolled in a 3-year program where young developers gain hands-on experience by building digital solutions for NGOs and social enterprises.

During the hackathon, these developers will work in teams of 4–5 to build digital solutions to challenges related to skills and jobs. As a mentor, you’ll guide developer teams during the Crunch Week of this hackathon.

What We Provide

  • Flight reimbursement (economy class)
  • Travel insurance coverage
  • A stipend to help cover expenses during the week

The hackathon is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, TRAIDE, and the Code and Design Alliance, with support from The Gym — Rwanda’s most intense software development trainee program.

We’re looking for developers, designers and product owners based in the Netherlands who want to make a meaningful impact. Apply on the link above before August 1st and we will be in touch!

Become a Mentor

For any questions,  please reach out to Angel, Hackathon Coordinator at angel@the-gym.rw

Hackathon Timeline

Aug      25th:     Kick       Off

All 100+ trainees from across Rwanda gather in Kigali for the official kick off. They’ll dive deep into the hackathon challenges, form teams, and choose the problem they’re most excited to solve.

Sept 15th: Crunch Week

The final week kicks off! Finalist teams refine their code and presentations with daily support from mentors.

Sept  11th:  Selection Day

After 3 weeks of intense work, all teams gather for Selection Day where 4 finalist groups will be chosen to advance to the final phase.

Sept 19th: Graduation Day!


Finalist teams pitch their projects to a panel of judges and the top team takes home the prize!

August 25th

All 100+ trainees from across Rwanda gather in Kigali for the official kickoff. They’ll dive deep into the hackathon challenges, form teams, and choose the problem they’re most excited to solve.

September 11th

After 3 weeks of intense work, all teams gather for Selection Day where 4 finalist groups will be chosen to advance to the final phase.

September 15th

The final week kicks off! Finalist teams refine their code and presentations with daily support from mentors.

September 19th

Graduation Day!Finalist teams pitch their projects to a panel of judges and the top team takes home the prize!

Partners