What African women in ICT need

This is a feedback from African women software developers and ICT entrepreneurs to whom the question was asked: what are your needs?  The 15 priority areas are out:

1. Mentorship -  women want to be linked up and mentored.  They need "those who have been there" to advise them regularly.  This emotional and professional support ranked highest in the responses.
2. Funding - Key to making some things happen.  Especially when you are just beginning and needing seed money to be able to set the ball rolling.
3. Market share, contracts, paying jobs - the market opportunities, contrary to popular opinion, are not in favor of women, generally.  This situation is worsened in the ICT domain.
4. Meeting with software legends - Younger Africans need to ask questions and learn from more experienced legends, even if it is an opportunity that only lasts a few days.

 
5. Establishing a professional Association - This suggestion is aimed at maintaining contact among the women so that ideas can be shared on continual basis.
6. Media coverage of women's efforts - Maybe because there is no flashlights on the efforts of women who are already in the field.  Giving media attention lifts a woman in her efforts
7. Segregated (women only) training and coding rooms - Important suggestion coming from a very experienced mentor.
8. Business skills and culture -  The world of business is a rigorous, male-dominated and sometimes, even violent one. Measuring up is not easy for women.  Support is needed here
9. Management skills - Ladies accept that knowing what to do is not the same as knowing how to do it well.  Technical knowledge needs to be coupled with managerial capacity.
10. Professional certification - In the ICT domain, certifications hold sway.  They open doors and women need them.
11. Up-to-date information on cutting edge technology and how to benefit from it - Yesterday's technology is not the same as todays.  So women need to update their knowledge to remain competitive
12. Hands-on practical workshops - Seminars and workshops are needed, but not only talk shops.  Technical sessions need to be included

 
13. Personality lessons: self esteem, confidence etc - Spot on. Not many women can assert themselves and the other gender seems to expoit this in the heartless business environment that exists in Africa
14. Communication and Public speaking capacity building - Getting the opportunity is one, knowing how to use it is another.  Communication and public speaking skills are seriously in need for African ICT women
15. Marketing and public relations capacity building - Getting services and products clearly and well communicated to clients and the larger public is lacking and African women need to master the art.

So much to do...

Travel by phone: how ICT adds zest to my life!

Yesterday I did a different kind of travel.  I traveled through the greater Accra, the Central, the Eastern and finally the Western regions of Ghana.  All the time, seated in front of my computer, doing research,  and drafting a paper for an African-Union related institution.

Where did I go?  I took off from Accra, to a place called Kade in the Eastern region.  There is a research facility in a tiny village off Kade and there was a meetup scheduled there.  The initial journey was okay.. and the business of the day was done.

But the journey back was the THE one.  "I" was no longer coming back to Accra but going to Takoradi, in the Western region.  So the challenge was to come from Kade to somewhere in the Central region, either to a place called Mankessim  or to Winneba junction.  I needed to go from Kade to Swedru and onwards.

It was raining.. and we were looking for a  nice restaurant too!  Then hopefully, short cut, to link Swedru to Mankessim.  We passed through the villages, all named "Agona" something, then finally to Swedru itself. I have always thought that Swedru was a big place.. but well.  When we stopped by to ask "How far is Swedru from here"?  The answer was  "This is Swedru you are in".. Ah okay..

Then that question, can we go directly to Mankesssim from Swedru or do we need to come back to Winneba junction before going on..  we asked three different groups on the way.  Two of them said you must go down to Winneba junction, one said maybe you can find a way. So we decided to go down to Winneba junction.

The rain let up a bit after Winneba junction, finally caught launch: fufu and bushmeat at a restaurant a bit before Apam junction.  Then hit the road again.  The rain came back.. by the time we passed by Mankessim, it was 5:30 PM but was a dark ast 7:30 PM.  The decision needed to be taken.  Do we continue to go all the way to Takoradi or stop in Cape Coast for the night?  By 7PM, we pulled into a nice little hotel in Cape Coast, not far from the STC bus station and checked in there..

Then the attendant looked and said: "Oh, Master, your tyre is flat"! Well, get some rest, the gas station is opposite.. we will fix all of that in the morning! And will be in Takoradi before 10 AM!

Nice trip huh?  Well, dont forget I said I did all of that on phone!  I was just speaking with the person inside the car..while they drove.. all of that distance..

Oh yeah! Phone call rates are getting cheaper..if you have a "preferred" number.. you can talk all day, talk all night.. and travel... on phone!