Country of origin

Zimbabwe

Which company do you work for?

Cassava Smartech

What is your specific area of specialisation?

Information Security

How long have you been in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) fields?

3 years

As a woman in a male dominated industry, what has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?

Imposter Syndrome. The constant feeling that I am not enough and I have to do more to prove myself in order to fit in. I overcome it everyday through learning, and knowing that we all start as beginners.

What inspired you to join this industry?

My former lecturer. He was very passionate about Information Security and it showed through the way he taught. I adored that passion.

What changes, if any, have you seen in your field with regards to women in your field?

Women are still skeptical about joining and pursuing the Infosec field, however a lot more are showing interest in software engineering. I think that is a positive step for all women in the technology field in general.

How can we attract more women to consider a career in the STEM fields?

By changing their mindset. I think women shying away from STEM is more of a societal issue than we realize. The first thing I would do is to tackle what young women are taught while growing up.

If you were to advise other young women starting their careers in the tech or within
the STEM fields, what is the one thing you would say to them?

Try harder. It’s not a gender issue that is limiting you, your mind is.

When not working, what do you do for fun?

I like being outdoors but I haven’t done that lately because of COVID19. So I’ve been reading and watching TV a lot more.