(CNN) At 19-years-old, Betelhem Dessie is perhaps the youngest pioneer in Ethiopia's fast emerging tech scene, sometimes referred to as 'Sheba Valley'.

Dessie is coordinating a number of nationwide programs run by robotics lab iCog, the Addis Ababa based artificial intelligence (AI) lab that was involved in developing the world famous Sophia the robot.

She has four software programs copyrighted solely to her name - including an app developed for the Ethiopian government to map rivers used for irrigation.

And it all began when she was just 9.

She recalls: "On my 9th birthday I wanted to celebrate so I asked my father for money." When her father said he didn't have any to give her that day, Dessie took matters into her own hands.

Making use of the materials around her - her father sold electronics in their home city of Harar in eastern Ethiopia - Dessie started with small tasks such as video editing and sending music to customer's cell phones.

"I got about 90 dollars - then I celebrated my birthday" she laughs, sitting in one of the robotics and coding rooms at iCog, Ethiopia's first AI lab.

iCog launched in 2013 and Ethiopia's tech industry is set to take off even faster this year following the liberalization of the country's economy under new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

Abiy who took office in April, has part privatized a number of state owned companies including telecoms provider Ethio Telecom. It's a bid to hopefully pave the way for better internet access. The country is seeing huge changes following a government sanctioned internet blackout that took place prior to Abiy taking office.

Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Satellite cities, often billed as "smart cities" -- connected, tech-driven urban areas -- are being built by a number of African countries. Is this a solution to the continent's rapidly urbanizing population?



Konza Technological City, Kenya - As part of the Kenyan government's Vision 2030 project, Konza Technological City located 60km outside Nairobi, aims to become a world-class technological and innovation hub. The cost of the so-called "Silicon Savanna" is expected to reach an eye-watering $15.5bn.



See more of Africa's new cities. Hide Caption 1 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Konza Technological City, Kenya – The government plans to complete the techno city some time after 2030. The Konza Development Authority (KTDA) estimates Konza will bring in $1bn every year and create 100,000 jobs. There are critics, though, who are skeptical that techies will want to relocate away from Nairobi, already a buzzing technological hub. Hide Caption 2 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Konza Technological City, Kenya – The site, spread across 5,000 acres, will not only be a center of technology and education, but will provide new homes and leisure activities with shopping malls and other amenities. Kenya's ICT sector continues to grow and is a world leader for mobile tech. The country wants this new "techno polis" to be a catalyst for the economy. Hide Caption 3 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Eko Atlantic, Nigeria – Is this Nigeria's answer to Dubai? Eko Atlantic is the ambitious multi-billion dollar project that aims to transform Lagos, the country's most populated city. Its creators want it to become the new financial hub for Nigeria -- bringing in 150,000 commuters every day. Hide Caption 4 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Eko Atlantic, Nigeria – Eko Atlantic is a privately funded project in partnership with the Lagos State Government. Once finished, it plans to be home to a quarter of a million people. The new city is connected off the Victoria Island, a district in Lagos. Hide Caption 5 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Eko Atlantic, Nigeria – Eko Atlantic is being built along Lagos's upmarket Bar Beach coastline. It will provide classy accommodation and high-tech infrastructure. Hide Caption 6 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Eko Atlantic, Nigeria – It's being constructed on 10 square kilometers of reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean, as shown in this satellite image. Hide Caption 7 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Eko Atlantic, Nigeria – Billed as the largest real estate project in Africa, Eko Atlantic is being built on tons of sand dredged from the Atlantic Ocean off the coast. However, construction has slowed as a result of Nigeria's economic stagnation. Hide Caption 8 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Tatu City, Kenya – A new mixed-use development for more than 150,000 residents, Tatu City was initiated by Rendeavour, "Africa's largest property developer." It's a 5,000 acre mixed-use development with schools, homes, sports facilities and green spaces. Hide Caption 9 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Tatu City, Kenya – It aims to be a new urban center outside the capital Nairobi, and businesses are already located in the locality. In an attempt to lure companies, the city has a special economic status providing lower businesses taxes. Hide Caption 10 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Hope City, Ghana – Announced on Ghana's independence day in 2013, a $10bn super high-tech satellite city outside Accra planned to put the country on the map for technology. Ambitions were high, but since then the project has failed to make headway. Hide Caption 11 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Hope City, Ghana – The project also aimed to host Africa's tallest building. The developers maintain it will still go ahead. Hide Caption 12 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Hope City, Ghana – Hope City was designed by Italian firm Architect OBR, and is made up of six towers. The hub will include a hospital, university, housing and recreational areas. Hide Caption 13 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Waterfall City, South Africa – It's the largest mixed-use development ever in South Africa, located between Pretoria and Johannesburg. It's expected to be complete by 2025, and could potentially create 86,000 jobs. Hide Caption 14 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Waterfall City, South Africa – The project aspires to cater for all needs: schools, shopping malls and large green spaces. Global professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers is set to accommodate the area's first skyscraper. Hide Caption 15 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Vision City, Rwanda – Just outside of Rwanda's capital Kigali is Vision City, the country's largest housing project. It is part of the government's strategy to embrace "smart cities." The town square will have free wifi and the street lamps will be solar-powered. Hide Caption 16 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' Kigali, Rwanda – Rwanda's capital city is undergoing a transformation. The 2020 Kigali Conceptual Masterplan plans to remodel Kigali into a high-rise, modern and tech-orientated city. Hide Caption 17 of 18 Photos: African countries plan ambitious satellite 'smart cities' King City, Ghana – King City, developed by Rendeavour, is a mixed-use development in western Ghana. The site is near the country's mining region and hopes to capitalize on the growth of the sector. It's located near Ghana's third largest city, Takoradi. Hide Caption 18 of 18

Practical apps for the community

A guiding light at iCog Labs for a football playing robot. Image: Thomas Lewton.

One program Dessie leads on at iCog is "Solve IT", which works with young people to find technological solutions to community based problems.

Dessie travels the length and breadth of the country working with students (some up to five years her senior) to inspire the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

Being younger, she says, means she and other teachers are "more in touch with what the students are experiencing." In the same way women teaching women can be impactful, she adds, having had the same lived experiences.

Betelhem Dessie carries a prototype of Sophia the robot at iCog Labs. Image: Thomas Lewton.

Girls are a minority among the students attending "Solve IT", but for Dessie they have the most to contribute.

"The boys imagine more, they want to do something that's big and inspired, the girls they really want to help their community from the core," she explains.

Instead of space rockets and robots, the solutions put forward by the girls she teaches tend to be grounded and immediate - such as an SMS app that informs farmers about local weather conditions.

Dessie's passion for technology was, for the most part, supported growing up in relatively liberal Harar, but her experience isn't the norm in Ethiopia.

Teaching the basics of AI

In 2013, women accounted for a quarter of students enrolled in science and technology studies at university; while only eight percent of science researchers are women. "Unless you really are in the industry, there is no one to look up to in technology," says Dessie, pointing to this lack of female role models.

"Solve IT" students test their AI tractor at Mekele University in Ethiopia's far north. Image: Thomas Lewton.

"Anyone Can Code", is another project of Dessie's that teaches young Africans the basics of artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain and other emerging technologies.

She is currently looking for funding for a project called "The Sophia School Bus."

"The bus will go around Ethiopia equipped with laptops and other electronic materials such as 3D printers to create more awareness on these technologies - using Sophia as a brand to attract," she explains.

With the help of Sophia the robot, Dessie hopes to inspire the next generation of coders in Ethiopia and Africa more broadly - particularly girls.

Asked why this is so important to her, she smiles.

"Who can solve the problem of a female if she cannot tell you the problem, and find her own solution?"