#InHerOwnWords
My tech journey started when I was in primary school. It was one of those last days of term—the kind where the teachers let you watch a movie. This movie featured a girl using a laptop, and to the young me, that was the holy grail of cool! The girl with the laptop looked like she could hack into NASA–or at least figure out how to beat my high score in Snake xenzia. Seriously, seeing a girl, in a movie, doing something with technology—this totally captivated me! I couldn’t stop dreaming about one day owning my own laptop, coding things, and maybe—just maybe—being like her.
Of course, as I grew older, I realized that the representation of women in tech, especially in movies, was a rarity, not the norm. I mean, we’ve all seen the trope of the lone girl coder who magically knows everything about technology, right?
Still, that glimpse of the girl using tech ignited a fascination that stayed with me as I transferred to a school that had computers, as I excelled in Computer Studies and as my interest in technology grew stronger and broader!
However, even though I was passionate about tech, I felt there was something missing—a sense of direction. I had the drive, but I didn’t have mentors to guide me, to show me what possibilities tech had to offer. And I didn’t see many role models who looked like me or understood the unique challenges I faced. I felt on my own in a world that was vast and with few opportunities for women, and those few opportunities frankly felt out of reach.
Then came a turning point! I discovered the Equals Her Digital Skills initiative! The program didn’t just give me access to technology and technical skills training—it also gave me access to people, to an entire community of girls and women who understood exactly what I was going through.
I eagerly joined the Equals Her Digital Skills e-mentoring program, where I was matched with a mentor who was a senior manager at EY. This was one of the most transformative experiences of my life! Over several weeks, we exchanged emails, working through a structured curriculum that focused on soft skills—those often-overlooked aspects of personal and professional growth. My mentor helped me see that to thrive in tech isn’t just about coding or the latest software—it’s also about people! And about setting clear goals, teamwork and building confidence.
One key lesson for me was how to handle criticism. My mentor advised: “You have to look at who is criticizing you and why, and decide whether or not it matters. Practice saying, I have heard you, thank you for the feedback.” This taught me the importance of constructive criticism and feedback, and it helped me to build my resilience.
After this, I had the opportunity to be a trainer in Tech4Girls or Her Digital Skills workshops. I remember working together with the participants to create an app through block programming, and I saw exactly the same excitement in the girls that I had felt when I was younger. That was also a pivotal moment for me. I realized: I could be the mentor that others needed—the guide that I had once been searching for myself. This gave me confidence, not just in my tech skills, but in my ability to lead, to inspire, and to empower others.
Through EQUALS, I’ve also had the privilege to participate in incredible events that promote gender parity in technology. For example, the Generation Connect Global Youth summit in Kigali, the Girls in ICT Day in Manila, and MWC Las Vegas. Lucky me!
These experiences have been eye-opening, not just because of the new technologies I’ve been exposed to, but also thanks to the amazing women I’ve met—women who continue to inspire me and open doors of opportunity. Events like these remind me: I am part of a global community of women who are shaping the future of tech.
After my time as a mentee, I stayed connected with the EQUALS Her Digitals Skills community and this led to a job opportunity. Today, I work with Women’s WorldWide Web (W4), an international NGO dedicated to promoting equal access to and participation in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for girls and women. We provide digital skills training, from basic to advanced IT skills, to enhance women’s formal employment, notably in the tech sector. We also run training programs for aspiring women tech entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs.
W4 is one of the co-founders of the global Her Digital Skills initiative, alongside the International Telecommunication Union, GSMA and EY. I’m so proud and grateful to say that I now help coordinate the very e-mentoring program that once guided me, as well as tech training workshops benefiting countless girls and women around the world.
In my work with Her Digital Skills, I’ve seen time and time again the positive transformative potential of mentorship. It’s not just about sharing knowledge—it’s about creating opportunities, inspiring confidence, and showing girls and women the vast, exciting array of employment possibilities in tech. It’s about enabling girls and women to acquire the skills to succeed everywhere in the tech space, including in spaces that may initially seem out of reach.
I’m where I am today because someone believed in me. Mentors took time to guide me, to show me that my dreams were valid–and achievable. And now, I can assure you: You belong in the tech space. Your voice matters. Your contributions matter. The obstacles are real, but not insurmountable. With the right support and mentorship, the right tools and mindset, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.
So, be curious. Be bold. Seek out mentors, and when the time comes, become a mentor yourself. As the saying goes, when we lift each other up, we all rise!
