Inspire Inclusion: Elevating voices and Empowering Women for International Women’s Day 2024 -Part 1
In a world where the tech industry often sees a gender disparity, Africa stands out as a beacon of female empowerment and innovation. From Nigeria to Ghana, Rwanda to Kenya, women are not just participating in the tech revolution but are leading it with unparalleled creativity, resilience, and ingenuity.
In the spirit of the International Women Day 2024, we aim to amplify the voices and stories of women in the DevCareer Africa community who have shattered glass ceilings,and paved the way for others through their works and contributions.
We got acquainted with some women and learned a few things about their tech journey, their innovative ideas and the impact they’re making, their triumphs and challenges so far in a quick interview.
Join us as we honour and celebrate these women from different backgrounds and talents — software engineers to entrepreneurs, data scientists to cybersecurity to product designers, each woman we feature embodies the spirit of resilience and excellence.
Oghenetejiri Agbodoroba
Tejiri is a product designer using research and user experience design to build products at scale. She transitioned into design after taking up a graphic design role at a non-profit organization. Her overarching goal has been to gain depth in interactive technology and explore how interactive components can enhance relationships with people, products, and services in an increasingly digital future. She currently leads the design and delivery of software solutions at Kimoyo.co — A market research tool automating user research across Africa. She is also a Women TechMakers Ambassador, Design Mentor, and Co-organiser of the Google Developers Group Warri.
She has participated in several community initiatives aimed at promoting digital literacy among women and school students. She has honed her abilities in technology and design through her involvement with organizations such as Women Techmakers, Edustipend, Geneza School of Design, and Google Developers Group.
She has faced the challenge of having her expertise questioned and constantly having to put in more work than required. Mentorship support was key to navigating this challenge. She was fortunate to have mentors who were very encouraging and led her to believe that women can excel at all levels in design. Additionally, storytelling and leaving her digital footprint have been other key factors.
Through mentoring, Tejiri guides and empowers women from diverse backgrounds, seeing firsthand the impact mentorship has on shaping future leaders. Her goal is to help women thrive in the technology field, inspired by her experience of gender disparity early in her career.
“One major factor that inspired me to embark on this current journey is that when I started my career in technology, the number of males to females was exceedingly great. The gender parity was massive, confirming the myth that it wasn’t a profession for women. Overcoming these challenges was difficult for me without guidance. This encouraged me more to want to help young women navigate this easily. My focus is to help women thrive in the field of technology.”
She advocates for a consistent daily routine.
See HERE to visit Oghenetejiri works and contributions.
You can connect with her on social media
Nafisa Lawal Idris
Nafisa Lawal Idris is a dynamic professional with a passion for leveraging technology to drive innovation and positive change, particularly in the fields of data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics. With a background in statistics and a keen interest in data science, Nafisa has emerged as a prominent figure in the tech industry. Her career journey began in 2015 during an industrial training (SIWES), where she played a pivotal role in digitizing the National Teachers Institute. This early experience set the stage for her future in technology.
Nafisa Lawal Idris began her journey in the tech industry in 2015 during an industrial training (SIWES). In a pivotal role, she successfully digitized the National Teachers Institute, implementing a new data entry system and developing a comprehensive database covering student enrollment and output from 2005 to 2015. This early experience set the stage for her future in technology. Nafisa’s career trajectory took an unexpected turn when she discovered a passion for Bitcoin development after three years of trading and holding Bitcoin. This newfound interest led her to explore the intersection of AI and Bitcoin, uncovering the transformative impact these technologies could have on the future of finance.
As a Lead Data Scientist and mentor, Nafisa actively contributes to the tech community by sharing her insights and experiences. She is dedicated to bridging the gender gap in tech, especially in Northern Nigeria, and has been actively involved in initiatives promoting careers in data science and STEM fields among women.
Nafisa’s work in bridging the gender gap in technology, particularly in Northern Nigeria, has been instrumental. Recognizing the disparities in women’s representation in the tech industry, she has dedicated her efforts to inspiring and empowering women to pursue careers in data science and related fields.
As a mentor and ambassador, Nafisa has engaged in initiatives and activities promoting STEM careers among women from Northern Nigeria. Her involvement includes organizing workshops, webinars, and mentorship programs designed to provide support, education, and networking opportunities for aspiring women in tech.
Despite encountering challenges as a woman in tech, such as gender disparity and subtle biases, Nafisa remains resilient and committed to her passion for tech. She confronts gender role stereotypes in tech by actively participating in initiatives that promote women in STEM. Through sharing her experiences and showcasing women’s achievements in tech, she aims to inspire more women to pursue careers in technology. By being visible in industry events, conferences, and online platforms, Nafisa hopes to encourage and empower women to break through barriers and excel in the field.
Her commitment to empowering women in tech is deeply rooted in her belief in fostering a sense of community, support and recognizing the transformative power of shared experiences. Nafisa strives to create a nurturing environment where women feel encouraged to embrace their unique strengths and contributions. She advocates for a more inclusive and diverse tech industry, breaking down barriers and providing resources for skill enhancement. Nafisa’s journey is driven by personal passion, a drive for continuous learning, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact in the tech industry
Nafisa considers inspiring and empowering other women in the tech industry as fundamental to her professional journey. As a mentor, she aims to create a nurturing environment where women feel encouraged to embrace their unique strengths and contributions.
“I envision a more inclusive and diverse tech industry where every woman is empowered to succeed.”
From a young age, she was drawn to the ever-evolving landscape of technology, recognising its potential to address societal challenges and reshape the way we live and work.
You can read more about Nafisa’s contribution and work HERE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nafisa-lawal-idris/
https://twitter.com/FeenahNafeesah
Obi Faith Onyinye
Faith is a dedicated Frontend Web Developer, skilled in translating ideas into user-friendly interfaces and responsive websites. She is passionate about creating intuitive experiences that captivate users and is committed to elevating UI/UX to create seamless digital journeys.
Her key objective is to bring more ideas to life and enhance UI/UX design. As a student of the DevCareer Technical Program (DCTP), she collaborated with like-minded students in to develop a secure payment system called SafeTra. This project had a positive impact on Faith, as it was her first experience collaborating with a large team in different tracks, including Backend Development and Product Management. Apart from honing her skills, she learned the importance of teamwork and communication.
Reflecting on her journey as a woman in tech, Faith has faced challenges in connecting with other women in the industry due to its male-dominated nature. Despite these challenges, she is devoted to putting herself out there and believes in the importance of increasing the representation of women in tech.
https://ecommerce-search-and-filtering-system.vercel.app/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithdev/
https://twitter.com/Faith_Dev_
Tomiike Mabel Arowosegbe
Tomiike Mabel Arowosegbe is a passionate advocate for Reproductive and Women’s Health and an expert in promoting a reading culture. In November 2023, she launched the “Read to Lead” program under the Almond Book Club. The program aimed to inspire undergraduates to utilize technology effectively to excel academically. It covered topics such as effective goal-setting, time management, stress-free learning, beating procrastination, developing a reading strategy, and using technology (phones, computers) without distractions. The two-day free online program impacted nearly 500 undergraduates, equipping them for academic excellence.
In her work, Tomiike encountered challenges in social media management and technological proficiency. To overcome these obstacles, she empowers her volunteers to broaden their skills through various courses. As an advocate for maternal health, she focuses on empowering women, encouraging self-confidence, providing platforms for self-expression, and boosting self-esteem by praising their ideas and positive deeds. She also mentors young women, assigning tasks to demonstrate their abilities. Tomiike frequently hosts programs for women, providing them with the knowledge to thrive and maintain balance in all aspects of their lives.
Tomiike’s passion for maternal health stemmed from her experiences as a student in the school of midwifery. Witnessing emotional and psychological breakdowns among women facing reproductive health challenges and maternal mortality motivated her. She discovered that maternal mortality could be reduced by 50% through adequate information and support from skilled personnel. This realization fueled her dedication to influencing women’s health positively.
In managing her daily activities, Tomiike prioritizes and plans using a to-do list to ensure time management and avoid distractions. She delegates responsibilities according to individual strengths, multitasks to meet deadlines, and receives support from her spouse to balance family obligations with her professional advancement and impact on others.
To learn about her work and impact in the society, you can visit this link
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666577822000211 (research publication)
https://www.amazon.ca/SAFE-MOTHERHOOD-Reproductive-Challenges-Experiencing-ebook/dp/B0CC9FF6R6 (published book)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomiikemabel-arowosegbe
Chiamaka Maureen
Chiamaka Uzuegbu is a Software Engineer specializing in Backend development with the C# language. Despite holding a master’s degree in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, she pursued her dream in tech and has worked for over 2 years with cross-functional teams, developing applications that improve lives. Her experiences across fintech, e-commerce, and health industries have shaped her into the professional she is today.
Chiamaka believes in lifelong learning and actively participates in programs to enhance her skills. She currently volunteers for Black Girls in Tech, organizing tech programs like hackathons, outreaches, and tech scholarships for young girls from high school to university level. She mentors young women in tech, providing career support and sharing opportunities. She takes pride in the milestones achieved by her mentees, such as securing a tech scholarship worth over $1000 last year.
Reflecting on her challenges, Chiamaka recalled initial doubts about continuing her tech career due to the steep learning curve. Despite facing gender biases in male-dominated teams, she remained resilient, allowing her competence to speak for itself. Despite having two engineering degrees, she finds the adrenaline rush from ideating solutions in IT unmatched, enjoying the intellectual challenge of problem-solving.
Chiamaka writes on medium, you can read more about her HERE https://a-class.medium.com/net-hot-reload-f724aa65abb
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiamaka-uzuegbu-89393a1a2
To be continued….
