EQL:HER

As 2024 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting with immense gratitude and pride on the remarkable journey this year has been. It has been a year of growth, learning, and defining moments that reaffirmed my belief in the power of resilience and representation. One of the year's milestones was speaking at the TYPO3 Developer Days in Germany, a platform that allowed me to share my passion for digital empowerment on a global stage. I was also honored to present at Developer Days in Cape Town, where I explored the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in driving innovation and fostering inclusion within our communities. Another highlight was being recognized as one of the Inspiring 50 Women in Tech, a recognition that underscores the critical role of representation and serves as a reminder of the responsibility we carry to inspire others. At the Africa Tech Festival, I had the privilege of sharing insights on how technology can empower women and shape their futures, a special thank you to Nompucuko Nontombana (M.Inst.D) and Charleene Tom for this opportunity. This experience strengthened my commitment to digital inclusion and reinforced my mission to create meaningful opportunities for women and girls in underserved communities. This year also marked the launch of the Women+Tech Podcast, a platform dedicated to amplifying women’s voices in tech and sharing inspiring stories of resilience and innovation. Thanks to Suitable Focus for their support, through this journey, I learned one of the most profound lessons: success isn’t about avoiding failure—it’s about embracing perseverance and refusing to give up. From my work with BabesGotBytes, I experienced firsthand the transformative power of teamwork. This whirlwind year reminded me that shared goals and unwavering determination can lead to extraordinary achievements. I am deeply grateful to my mentors Charles Lee Mathews (they/them), Olivier D., Cliff Hazell, Peter Ing and everyone who has supported and believed in me throughout this journey. If 2024 has taught me anything, it’s to embrace every challenge, failure, and triumph as integral parts of the journey. As I reflect on these defining moments, I feel humbled and motivated to continue breaking barriers, empowering others, and advocating for a more inclusive digital world. Here’s to 2025—a year to dream even bigger, embrace challenges fearlessly, and celebrate success boldly. #WomenInSTEM #WomenInTech #STEMLeadership

Award winner Inspiring 50 women in STEM ! 💻 This recognition is not just about me—it’s about the incredible communities I’ve had the privilege to serve, connect, and empower. Winning this award affirms my belief in the transformative power of women in technology and the importance of creating spaces for inclusion, innovation, and growth. For me, Inspiring 50 is a reminder that representation matters. Every step I’ve taken—whether leading Girlhype, advocating for internet accessibility, or empowering women in STEM—has been fueled by a passion to show young girls that they belong in this space. This honor amplifies the urgency of our work: connecting underserved communities, promoting internet governance, and building a future where every woman has the tools and opportunities to thrive in tech. Together, we can shape a world where no one is left behind. To every woman breaking barriers, building networks, and writing code: your journey is inspiring. Let’s keep climbing and lifting as we rise. 💻✨ #Inspiring50 #WomenInSTEM #EmpowerHer #DigitalInclusion #InternetForAll #WomenInTech #STEMLeadership #GirlhypeImpact #TechForGood

🌟 Grateful and Inspired! 🌟 On November 10th, I had the honour of being recognised as one of the InspiringFifty Africa award recipients, organized by EQL:HER. This prestigious accolade celebrates the top 50 women driving transformative change in Africa's tech ecosystem, marking a humbling and inspiring milestone in my journey. I was also privileged to participate in a panel discussion on a topic that is close to my heart: “Breaking Barriers in Technology – Empowering Women to Thrive.” As a senior executive who has led over 16 technology implementation and initiatives across multiple industries and countries, and is one of only two female leaders on the executive management team of a leading Nigerian retail organization with over 53% women in its workforce, I remain deeply committed to fostering equitable opportunities and breaking barriers for all. Mentorship has always been a core passion of mine. Supporting remarkable young female professionals as they dream boldly, overcome imposter syndrome, and achieve ambitious career goals is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my journey. I believe that by fostering mentorship opportunities and providing guidance, we can help dismantle these barriers together. Engaging with trailblazing women like Ellen Fischat, Nobukhosi Dlamini and Fatoumata Sissoko-Sy during the panel was an enriching experience. Together, we explored how to inspire and equip the next generation of female leaders to break glass ceilings. This recognition is more than an achievement; it is a call to action to continue championing diversity, inclusion, and empowerment for women in technology. 💡✨ #Leadership #Empowerment #DiversityInTech #EmpoweringWomen #BreakingBarriers #InspiringFiftyAfrica

In continuation of my Cape town chronicles 🔥 Africa Tech Festival - My Third Time........what a journey it’s been! From inspiring awards at the EQL:LOUNGE EQL:HER, celebrating the achievements of women breaking barriers in tech at the InspiringFifty Africa Awards which was both humbling and inspiring……to power-packed panel discussions on infrastructure investments for startups, AI and talent development in the AI age. Representing Womenovate and celebrating excellence at Africa Tech Festival, I wore many hats this year: Speaker, Partner, and Co-host. 💡 Session Highlights: ✅ Investing in Infrastructure to Empower Startups" ✅ Nurturing Talent in the Age of AI" ✅ Advancing Educational Equity Through AI" It was lovely connecting with my SA family, old and new friends alike Matshepo Sehloho Thoko Miya Ota Akhigbe Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters Kadi Diallo Charleene Tom Amber Preston Ellen Fischat Halima Letam. The energy, insights, and opportunities reaffirm my belief that Africa is rising—and tech is leading the charge. 🚀 **AU-EU Innovation Summit** Attended the AU-EU Innovation Ecosystem Summit, collaboration was the keyword. The agenda spotlighted critical initiatives like accelerating STEM education, improving healthcare access, and fostering agricultural innovation. Meaningful connections with Shirin Namiq (HAUS) and Christian Gmelin (GIZ) left me optimistic about the synergy between Africa and Europe in shaping a better future. **Art, Food, and Inspiration at BOLD - An Unforgettable Evening at the Zeitz MOCAA** The inaugural BOLD Community Event in Cape Town was an experiential night of creativity, innovation, and meaningful conversations. Hosted by the Austrian Embassy, this unique gathering brought global changemakers under one roof to explore synergies and spark collaboration. Huge thanks to the eTradeforWomen, the Austrian Ambassador Romana Königsbrun Verena Prossegger Réka R. Artner and the entire BOLD team for a stellar event. 🌱 Seeds of partnership have been planted—here’s to growing bold ideas into impactful realities. Beyond the conferences, I explored Cape Town’s ecosystem— From the AWS Skill Center to innovative coworking spaces like Workshop 17, Cape Town’s ecosystem is alive with creativity and collaboration. Shout out to these lovely ladies doing GREAT works Antonette BentingRene ParkerTiara Pathon 🌿 On the leisure front, nothing beats the majestic Table Mountain and the charm of Constantia. Multiple trips to V&A Waterfront were the cherry on top. 🏠 Big thanks to Daddy Long Legs on Long Street for the warm hospitality—an artistic haven in the heart of the city! Cape Town, you’ve set the bar high. Until next time! 💙 Watch this space.... Favour OguduOladele Oloruntoba Vuyisa Qabaka Chris Foltz Founder Institute Abuja #AfricaTech #AIForGood #WomenInTech #InnovationForAfrica #Sustainability #InnovationAgenda #STEMEducation #AUandEU #BOLDCommunity #InnovationThroughArt #CapeTownMagic #TechEcosystem #WorkAndPlay

"Celebrating Groundbreaking Achievements in African Tech!" During @AfricaTechFestival, in Cape Town we gathered to honor the trailblazers transforming the tech landscape across the African continent at @inspiringfifty tech awards. Dialogue featured visionary leaders Ellen Fischat, Fatoumata Sissoko-Sy, Bunmi Cynthia Adeleye, and Nobukhosi Dlamini, who shared inspiring stories of breaking barriers and empowering women in tech. I am humbled and proud to be part of 2024 InspiringFifty Africa winners, champions of inclusion and innovation! Special thanks to EQL:HER partners IFC - International Finance Corporation, eHealth Africa, Tsebo Solutions Group, and E4EAfrica. Together, we're harnessing the power of innovation and leadership to shape Africa's tech future. #InspiringFiftyAfrica #WomenInTech #AfricanTech #Innovation #Leadership #Inclusion #TransformingTech #WiTechAfrica

Proud to be One of these amazing 50 ladies for the 2024 InspiringFifty Women in tech Africa !

Too woo woo? Give me a minute. I recently had the privilege of attending many of the incredibly well-curated talks at the EQL:HER Lounge at Africa Tech Festival. The talks were powerful and tangible, facilitating a space for people to connect and share. It really got me thinking about abundance. So often, in business, we concentrate our efforts and thoughts of abundance around money or profits. Good, great! Makes total sense. But what I believe is left out of the conversation around this is viewing abundance as much bigger than that. Abundance is also the truly amazing people that we meet and network with. The friendships and support systems that are formed from it. The talks, conferences and countless events that we attend where we have the opportunity to learn and (hopefully) challenge what we know to be true. Clients and projects we work on that are aligned with our values and the difference we want to make in the world.  All of those put together makes our lives plentiful. The invitation here is to manage our own perspectives and perceptions. 🎙️ Your turn! What makes your life feel abundant OR who did you recently meet that you learnt something from (maybe you wanna tag 'em 😉)

Incredibly honored that myself and Sneha Mehta, CFA were listed in this year's InspiringFifty Africa awards. Thank you EQL:HER and InspiringFifty for recognizing Uncover's impact in the beauty industry. We remain committed to disrupting beauty standards and prioritize skincare products for melanin-rich skin through product innovation, technology, data, and community. Congratulations to all!

It was an honour to share my business and journey participating in the 'Founder Spotlight' at Africa Tech Festival yesterday, thank you to EQL:HER and WomHub for the opportunity. Technology represents a tremendous opportunity for creating sustainable and scalable careers for youth, thereby creating real value in business and the economy. When training is taken to the source, role specific, conducted in the live working environment and live client projects are overseen by a dedicated technical team, it creates a seamless integration of juniors into the workplace. This is how redAcademy supports businesses grow and integrate their junior tech talent pool. Africa Tech is certainly a calendar highlight for connecting and reconnecting with founders and industry leaders alike. #atf2024 #femalefounders #africatech