Aspilos Celebrates Girls in ICT Day 2018

On the 27th of April, 2018, we hosted a Girls in ICT Day 2018 event which we tagged “Expanding Horizons”. We had the most amazing speakers at the event and it was in all a super event. The event was targeted at arming attendees with concrete information and skills they could use to chart tech courses or tech enable courses. We are glad that we were able to achieve this aim. We had on board with us TechHerNG as co-organisers.

The event was a tripartite and fully packed one. The first section was a fireside chat with four amazing women blazing trails in technology. We had:

1.  Nwakanma, Senior Policy Manager of Web Foundation who made the attendees understand that there is time for everything which includes the time to learn, volunteer and a time to build your brand and most importantly the need for them to spread their tentacles and aim high. She also talked about the importance of creating lasting and memorable first impressions as well as grabbing opportunities.
2. Ana Brandusescu,  Research &Policy Officer of Web Foundation who shared about how she channels her upset with injustice into things productive. She recognized volunteering at conferences as one of the smartest things she’s done and, she emphasized the need for cheerleaders in life.
3. Wura Kolade, a Cyber Security Expert took us back to when she was a child, being the first girl in her family, she loved tinkering with bulbs and screws but was required to be in the kitchen. Fortunately for her, she was supported by her father who made sure she tinkered as much as she would but resume duties in the kitchen afterwards. She taught herself to code
4. Farida Kabir, the Founder and CEO of OTRAC, who manages a team of about eleven other developers. Faridah did not study tech in school but had always loved it. Her father was a lead Engineer at MTN and as Daddy’s girl, she followed him to work and there fell in love with tech. She revealed that sometimes she feels threatened and experiences impostor syndrome and emphasized the need for a mentor.

This session left all the participants with expanded horizons indeed. The energy and drive generated in that session was palpable.

The second section was a practical session with Rejoice Aikohi, a Software Developer. She taught the participants how to build a website in 60 minutes. It was exciting to see the participants leave that day with web pages they had created there and then.

The last section was with Lara Raji of TechHer NG who spoke on the topic “Using Technology to Break Barriers”. She had an engaging discussion with the participants on how to make social impact with technology.

We asked some of the attendees what their major takeaways from the event was.

• Tonjimwa learnt several ways to be involved in tech asides coding, how influential she could be as a woman in the world of tech without running out of ideas and lastly the importance of mentors and networking.
• Ify Nwafornso learnt how to build her self-confidence, introduce herself in a memorable manner and the various stages of growth in life and lastly a time to build a brand and make herself known.
• Ifeoma got to learn how to strategise to achieve her life goals and the need for financial liberation for wome

We dare say that this event was a landmark one for all the ladies we had present that day. The event ended on a very high note with attendees empowered and determined to go out there, claim their spots in the sector and disrupt the flow.