by Kgothatso Monono

The Hacker Society of the Faculty of ICT at Tshwane University of Technology hosted the “Why Women” event on 15 October 2024 at the Student Centre, in Soshanguve South. The initiative shines a spotlight on the underrepresentation of women in the tech industry.

Event speakers.

The event provided a platform for women to share their experiences in tech and inspire one another. It also aimed to encourage young women to pursue careers in technology.

The event featured interactive networking sessions and panel discussions that offered valuable insights. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with successful women in tech and to learn from their journeys.

Recognising that women face unique challenges such as limited access to resources and mentorship, the Hacker Society developed “Why Women” to bridge these gaps and cultivate a community that uplifts one another. 

“Why Women” aims to celebrate women’s achievements in tech, address the challenges they face, and foster a supportive network of women in the industry.

Hacker Society collaborated with Girl-Code to host the event, supported by sponsors, eTalente. Enviro365 IT Solutions contributed by connecting attendees with expert speaker Tshegofatso Dingaan. 

The collective effort resulted in an engaging experience that showcased the power of teamwork in promoting diversity and inclusion in tech.

Notable moments included the address by Pearl Mahlanga’s, Girl-Code Facilitator, who talked about finding one’s path in the tech industry.

Dingaan, a Developer at Enviro365 IT Solutions, shared insights on overcoming the imposter syndrome.

Gugu Mokwena, IBM Administrator Intern at WeThinkCode, dealt with the challenges of being a woman in tech. She also talked about the importance of letting your work speak for itself in a world waiting to watch you fail as a woman.

Interactive sessions allowed participants to forge connections, leading to positive feedback about increased confidence and motivation to pursue careers in tech.

“With support from sponsors and strategic marketing efforts, including social media campaigns and word-of-mouth outreach, we achieved high attendee engagement and received positive feedback,” said Nsuku Ngobeni, Hacker Society’s Head of Media and Marketing.

Hacker Society plans to build on this momentum by hosting similar events, expanding mentorship programmes for young women in tech, collaborating with more organisations to amplify the impact, and developing initiatives to address specific challenges faced by women in the industry.

Upcoming initiatives include workshops on emerging tech trends and hackathons focused on social impact.  

Faculty of ICT students who attended the event.

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