Women in Tech?Kenya

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Women in Tech Africa Summit 2024, Nairobi and I’m still processing the wealth of wisdom, inspiration, and call to action that filled the room. The theme, "Innovate for Impact: Creating a Sustainable Future Through Tech," was a bold call to action, urging us to use technology as a force for good, champion sustainability, and accelerate progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. ??Keynote & Panel 1: Leadership in Tech – Leading the Way for the Next Generation ?Nondumiso Zibi, Director Support Engineering, EMEA Amazon Web Services (AWS), shared her principles of success in leadership: ??Courage: Stay updated with trends, sharpen your technical skills, and own your space in tech. ??Community: Join women in tech networks, mentor others, and build meaningful connections. ??Continuous Learning: Stay ahead of emerging trends and engage in professional development. ??Personal Learning Roadmap: Ask yourself,?"What is the key technology I want to master that will set me apart?" She also emphasized the role of AI/ML in combating climate change and highlighted inspiring women, like Linda Kwamboka, Co-founder of MFarm LTD(K), an award-winning mobile agribusiness solution.?She left us with a powerful quote from Nelson Mandela:?"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world." ??Punki Modise, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer, Absa Group, highlighted the role of technology in driving financial inclusion and mobitech initiatives. Her challenge to us??"Sponsor and mentor young women and girls. What action will you take as a woman in tech to accelerate action?" ??Lasbery C. Oludimu (LLM, MCIArb, ACIS), VP Operations, Yellow Card App, Coming from a non-tech background (law), she proved that you don’t need a traditional tech path to lead in this space (which hit home for me, coming from healthcare!). Her key takeaways??"Do it afraid!", "Continuous learning", "Network, network, network", and "Be intentional." ??Wairimu Wahome Mwangi, CISSP, Mastercard Foundation, emphasized the importance of women-centric design and mentoring the next generation. Her advice??"Believe in yourself, be humble, grow your network, grow your knowledge, don’t settle for a job you don’t love, and give back!" ??Donna Phoebe Rege, Senior Manager, Digital Delivery & IT Service, Safaricom PLC, shared her four B’s for success:?"Believe in yourself, Build, Boost, Blossom." ??Susan Gatura, Founder, Phoenix Ke Analytics, Gave us one simple yet powerful message: "Be undeniable!" Because when you’re that good, they can’t ignore you. ??MOSES OKUNDI, CIO, Absa Group Kenya, spoke on resilience, the importance of a support system, and effective communication. ???What’s Next? Stay tuned for Part 2, where I’ll share highlights from Panel 2 and more unforgettable moments from the summit. WOMEN IN TECH ? Global Women in Tech?Kenya #womenintechafricasummit #accelerateaction

Women in Tech?Kenya Introduces: Tell It Thursday (#TIT) – A Story Threads Experience! Tech sis, let’s talk real. ?? No fluff. No filters. Just raw, unfiltered discussions on the challenges we face as women in tech—and practical solutions from those who truly get it. ?? How it works: ? Every Thursday | 8:00 – 8:30 PM ? ? 30-minute structured, gamified discussions ? Completely anonymous participation ?? ? Real tech struggles, real solutions ? We’re taking this to Discord for a more interactive experience. ?? What you need to do NOW: ? Set a reminder – Thursdays at 8 PM (EAT)? ? Spill the tea anonymously ? – Share your tech struggles or suggest discussion topics here: ?? https://bit.ly/443m6ZY ? Go undercover ?? – Create an anonymous Discord identity (because sometimes, mystery adds to the fun!) ?? Don’t just scroll—be part of the movement! The first #TIT session drops soon. You in? ?? ?? Join the convo on Discord: Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/dVRe6pUP Powered by: ?? Women in Tech?Kenya #TellItThursday #WomenInTech #TIT #RealTalk WOMEN IN TECH ? GlobalWomen in Tech South AfricaBWEng (Black Women in Engineering)IEEE Women in Engineering Women Engineers Committee (WEC) of the IEK Lucy MbuthiaFlorence YulaFiona NgaruroDonna Phoebe RegePaula Kariuki, MBADaphny Danga, MIEEEAbigail Kairu, MIEE

?? Celebrating Women, Celebrating Possibilities! ?? This International Women’s Month, we celebrate the incredible Donna Phoebe Rege, our esteemed Advisory Board member, who recently shared her insights in an interview with Business Insider Africa for International Women’s Day 2025. ??? In the interview, she emphasized a powerful message about mentorship: "Don't overthink mentorship. A mentor isn't just someone you have to pay or who offers formal services. A mentor is anyone who has walked the path you wish to walk—your boss, a parent, a younger person, or a friend who has found success in that field. Just do it!" ?? Her words remind us that all dreams are possible. The journey is tough, but success is within reach! ???? At Women in Tech?Kenya, our mission is clear—to #accelerateaction and empower women to break barriers and achieve their aspirations. ?? Let’s continue lifting each other up! Who has been a mentor in your journey? Tag them and show your appreciation! ??? ?? Watch the full interview here below #WomenInTech #MentorshipMatters #IWD2025 #EmpowerHer #WITKenya WOMEN IN TECH ? GlobalWomen in Tech South AfricaIEEE Women in Engineering BWEng (Black Women in Engineering)Women Engineers Committee (WEC) of the IEK Lucy MbuthiaFlorence YulaFiona NgaruroPaula Kariuki, MBADonna Phoebe RegeDaphny Danga, MIEEEAbigail Kairu, MIEE

Life has interesting ways of adding up and making sense...truly the dots connect only backwards ??. A true emphasis that passion could be one's channel to growth and new horizons.. As a little girl i dreamt of being a doctor, it was among the top professions, and inspiration by my best friend's parents who were both doctors. Then in my high school season, my uncle who was a Telecommunications Engineer made frequent visits with this white mini-sack that was filled with various devices and gadgets that started to intrigue me, mobile telephony was also just rolling out in Kenya. By Form 2 when i did my subject selection, the white lab coat dream was effortlessly swapped with that of a helmet, harness and a pair of steel-toe safety boots. I picked all the three Sciences,worked hard and joined Kenyatta University where i got a Telecommunications Engineering degree. Fast forward 2010, i joined the tech workforce in Kenya...the office was very much male dominated with non-enabling structures to support gender diversity. In 2012, several like-minded ladies and i came together on a shared vision that we needed to act! Act we did and continue to do so... Despite challenges with how i looked,carried myself,etc; out of #diligence #persistence and #consistence, I am a thriving tech leader, showing up each day, focusing on the significance of tech and my part to ensure we #AccelerateAction to grow the number of women in tech and STEAM in general. Early this year,i received an email requesting my consideration to sponsor and participate in an event for this year's #InternationalWomensDay, but i felt the need to do more and not only seek ways to sponsor and support albeit being end of the financial year, and budgets barely existing. I raised my hand and behind this email was a group of multi-skilled, passionate tech ladies that are now not only colleagues but friends.Lucy Mbuthia Florence Yula (FMVA) Fiona Ngaruro Daphny Danga, MIEEE Abigail Kairu, MIEE and Paula, thank you for raising your hands, putting in the work and paying it forward. Most of all thank you for trusting in me to do this with you. After weeks of strategy and planning, this Wednesday, 12th March, at Kempinski , WOMEN IN TECH ? Global will host their inaugral Africa Summit sponsored by Absa Group among many others as we launch the Kenya Chapter Women in Tech?Kenya and bring together great leaders to deliberate on how we can #AccelerateAction especially around breaking systemic challenges to promote more women in tech leadership, innovation and sustainability among many more. Please join us as we mark this great milestone. As an Advisory Board Member and part of the executive team, we seek to empower and grow more women and girls within the Tech industry in Kenya, through various channels on: #CapacityBuilding #FutureOfWork #WomenInLeadership #DigitalLiteracy Do join our community! #AccelerateAction #PowerOfCommunity #WomenInTech #RaisingYourHand #Resilience Happy Women's Month!

?? ?? ?????????????? ?????????? & ?????????? ???? ?????????? ???? ???????? – ?????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ???? ??????! "By 2035, more young Africans will be entering the workforce than in the rest of the world combined." "Africa's future success hinges on preparing its young, rapidly growing workforce for the jobs of tomorrow, particularly in the digital and STEM fields, through education and skills development." ?? This urgency was the heartbeat of the WOMEN IN TECH ? Global Africa Summit, which not only brought together changemakers but also marked the official launch of the Women in Tech?Kenya ? ?????????????????? & ???????????????????? ?????? ?????? ???????????????? Absa Group alx_africa Amazon Web Services (AWS)Yellow Card UnicafSafaricom PLC thank you for making this possible. ?????? ?????? ???????????????????? ????????????????—many of whom traveled across the globe and courageously shared their experiences and calls to action. ??Melissa Slaymaker Erika Reeves for your dedication to making this event a success. ???????? ??????+ ???????????? who showed up, engaged, and enriched the conversations with their insights. Your recaps and reflections over the past few days have been truly inspiring! ?????? ?????? ????????????????????—your dedication behind the scenes ensured everything ran smoothly! ?? #AcceleratingAction – ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? I'll start my recap with one of the most powerful panels I had the honor of moderating, featuring speakers who are doing incredible work to educate, empower, and provide access to marginalized communities helping children, men and women to get access to resources that will help them build a brighter future using tech. Faith Nkatha Gitonga ?– Interim Country Director,Kenya Tony Blair Institute for Global Change Faith Muricho MBA, MSc – Technical Operations Manager, AWS Nelly (Kosi) Cheboi ??– Founder & CEO, TechLit Africa Zandile Mkwanazi– CEO, Girlcode Akwabi Paul– CEO & Founder, Code Innovators Africa ?? ?????? ??????????????????: 1?? Self-Advocacy is Key! Women must learn to advocate for themselves. This inspired the launch of the #JitumeChallenge—a movement to empower women to step up and take charge of their growth. 2?? Never Stop Learning. Stay curious. The most successful individuals are those who continuously seek knowledge and embrace lifelong learning. 3?? Mentorship is Powerful—But Not One-Size-Fits-All. Seek mentors for different seasons of your journey. One person cannot fulfill every aspect of your growth. 4?? Build & Nurture Supportive Networks. Women in tech must create and sustain communities that foster collaboration, learning, and career advancement. 5?? Inspiration Starts at Home. If we want more young girls to explore and stay engaged in STEM, it starts with how we raise them. Let’s stop conditioning them with limiting beliefs about what they can or cannot do. What are your thoughts on accelerating action for women in tech? Drop your insights below!!

Starting the week with Gratitude! Last week I had the opportunity to be part of a panel discussion at the Women in Tech Africa Summit in Kenya! Our discussion was around #AcceleratingAction – using tech for good. All the panelist’s are doing incredible work to educate, empower and give give access to marginalized communities, helping children, men and women to get access to resources that will help them build a brighter future using tech. Faith Muricho MBA, MSc Faith Nkatha Gitonga ? Nelly (Kosi) Cheboi ?? Akwabi Paul The work we are doing needs to be amplified tenfold. The urgency for transformative action in Africa is paramount. By harnessing its vast resources, empowering its youth, and fostering sustainable development, we can create a future where Africa thrives and contributes significantly on a global scale. Collaboration, innovation, and strategic initiatives are key to amplifying progress and ensuring that the benefits of Africa’s wealth are shared equitably among it’s people. The time to act is NOW. Thank you Melissa Slaymaker Lucy Mbuthia for such an impactful Summit.

The launch of the Women in Tech Kenya chapter Grateful to have gotten the chance to attend the launching of women in tech kenyan chapter hosted by Erika Reeves and Melissa Slaymaker. It was an incredible milestone for the community and a moment of celebration for women in technology across the region. The event brought together a vibrant group of women in diverse roles all united by a shared passion for technology and empowering one another. At the heart of the event was the powerful message of mentorship and sponsorship. Mentorship plays a crucial role in guiding women through their career paths, offering advice, and sharing experiences, while sponsorship is about actively advocating for women’s growth and opening doors to opportunities that may have otherwise been closed. The discussions centered around how women can support each other, not just through advice, but by lifting each other up and ensuring representation in leadership roles. What made this launch even more impactful was the collaboration and networking that took place. The event included various interactive workshops, panel discussions, and keynote speeches from influential women in the field, who shared their journeys, challenges, and successes. As the chapter grows, it promises to be a game-changer for women in Kenya and beyond, providing a safe and empowering space for collaboration, learning, and growth. The impact of this launch will be felt for years to come, as it sets the stage for a more inclusive, diverse, and innovative future in technology. Women in Tech?Kenya Women in Tech?Kenya Anns Rutto Wendy Linda

?? We're thrilled to partner with Microsoft and Founderz to launch "AI Skills 4 Women" – a FREE course designed to address the AI gender gap (women make up just 12% of AI researchers and 22% of professionals). ?????? Build your expertise in AI fundamentals, ethics, cybersecurity, and leadership with expert instructors. ???? ? Registrations close on April 8th! ?? Exclusive Perks for Women In Tech Global members: ? Registration access ? Networking opportunities ? Mentorship program access ?? Enroll for free: https://lnkd.in/gCASAys9 ?? Read more: https://lnkd.in/gvDBS_ZR #AISkills4Women #WomenInTech #AI #DiversityInTech ???????? Ayumi Moore Aoki Tamuna Kvintradze Beril Levi Anna Cejudo Yuki Aizawa 愛澤友己 Erno KISS Wafeeqa Wahid Melissa Slaymaker Enkhsaikhan Vicky Maya Ayoub Angela Naser Safia Agueni Erika Reeves Hwalani Mabaso Ranya S. Alaoui Zineb B. Jessica Barrett Nyla Beth Gawel Kathryn Rose ? Layal El Radi Anna Ambrozevich Cindy Barardo Nino Lortkipanidze Leyla Seyidzade Mayra Silva Anne BAER Sarah El-Radi Claudia Mendes Silva Noha Salama, MBA PMP Radhika Iyengar Suraya Turk

To #accelerating action ??