Naidoo, 19, is proving that age is no barrier to global impact. As founder and president of CodeSolve, she is tackling the digital divide by equipping young people - particularly girls and young women - with the problem-solving and coding skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
What began as a passion project has grown into an international initiative spanning South Africa and the United States. Through coding workshops in Alexandra, Johannesburg and at the Nelson Mandela Youth Centre in Chatsworth, Durban, Naidoo has introduced more than 100 learners to coding and human-centred problem-solving. She has also convened more than 80 South African and US educators to explore how computer science can be better integrated into classrooms, helping build stronger support systems for girls pursuing Stem subjects. Her work has attracted national media attention and continues to expand its reach.
A Northwestern University engineering student on the High Honours Dean's List, Naidoo is also an Afrika Tikkun US Youth Board member, a two-time Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra piano soloist and founder of her school's International Students Association.
She credits conductor Kutlwano Masote with teaching her that great leadership begins by seeing the individual behind every achievement. That lesson shapes the way she leads CodeSolve by listening first, building community and empowering young people to discover that even the smallest idea can spark lasting change.