Thank You for People Like Dorcas Muthoni

I love technology and the ability that global connections are easier to make today. The article here, in the Business Daily Africa announces the Anita Borg Change Agent Award going to Dorcas Muthoni, who is the general manager of OpenWorld. She receives the award because of her 3 year investment getting more girls and young women interested in Information Communication Technology (ICT). They talk of the challenges that girls face when they don't know the breadth of what ICT includes before they reject it as a career path. To solve this problem doesn't just involve reaching out to the individuals but also the career counsellors (often teachers) to provide the right encouragement based on the right knowledge, instead of steering women away to more typical careers.

Another woman talks about her motivation to be involved in outreach programs to pull more women into ICT - she had experienced too many times being in a room of men at events and the assumption being she was the event organizer.

The article contrasts the outcome of not participating in outreach programs with the world that could exist if the right mentoring is provided at the right times. On days I'm exhausted, I read articles like this and it makes me find extra breathe to keep going and making it better for the next generation.

If Rebrand is What's Needed to Attract Women, Aim for the Top

There have been several articles about the need to re-brand and make more attractive jobs in IT to women (EU says Geeky jobs need to be more attractive). The articles talk of trying to spice up the work. A strategy I haven't heard used yet is one to open up the management side of IT to women. I have known a few men who have made it to senior positions and executive positions in IT organizations who didn't come from IT backgrounds. It's not only the role models at the junior level and the work content that needs to be attractive but it's the aspiration of exceeding at higher levels that needs to be communicated.

I personally enjoyed my management jobs where I was constantly being exposed to new technologies and skills I didn't possess. Everyday required active thinking, understanding, and devising new strategies to make progress. It was dealing with the projects and the people that made it a cool, rewarding job. I don't hear about that side of IT, the joy of management (!).