Last week, I came across a survey revealing some opinions of women working in the Zambian tech industry. The survey, titled: Women in Tech (Zambia) 2022, broke down the results of a survey of more than 50 women. This was the first research of its kind, and in querying more into the source of the story I met Matambila Karima, the Head of Information Security at Ecobank Zambia. Ms Karima is one of few women in tech to be in a leadership position within the country and has worked in the industry for more than 13 years. Her journey was not an easy one, having to face several extreme challenges based purely on her gender throughout her career. She designed a survey to be the voice of the new generation of women in tech who have been working tirelessly under the shadows. Its purpose is to help the public understand the difficulties women may face in the industry, not as a deterrent, but to motivate unity and encourage young women. In this article I tell her story as we break down the results of the survey to understand what is needed to create a better work environment for women in tech.
From Game Testing to the Boardroom
Ms Karima’s story is not one with a meteoric rise, or an overwhelming passion for tech. Like many young Zambian’s of today it starts with. Tambi originally considered pursuing a career in accountancy at the ACCA but mathematics proved to be a deterrent, her Achilles’ heel. Eventually she settled for a course in Computer Security which was being hosted in Australia, nearly 11,000 km away. Computer security was a new course around that time, and the unique industry intrigued Tambi despite the need to strengthen her maths skills. Her fascination with computers had been sparked by her tech-savvy father, an engineer who would program video games and test them on his children creating pleasant memories. She returned home from Australia armed with a Diploma in Software Development and Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology (Computer Security), this at a time when tech was becoming increasingly important for local companies.
Upon Tambi’s return however the reality of the male dominated Zambian Tech industry began to set in. 66.7% of women surveyed agreed male domination has led to slower progression in their careers or less opportunity. Despite the experience, Tambi explained her time spent in this industry helped build her patience, a skill that would become essential to her success. Within a few years, Tambi was fortunate to be recruited to one of the largest banks in the country at the time, Finance Bank Zambia. She became the first female member of an 18-man tech team. However, it was here where Tambi developed the skills to survive a bias tech environment, learning how to stand out with her work and how to work in a team.
A Journey in Banking
According to the survey, 68% of women believe there is a bias or preferential treatment towards men in the industry. This became an evident reality to me as Tambi detailed how her appointment to the tech team at Finance Bank ended with her being shipped to the ‘help desk’. Despite her qualifications and experience, she was given the lowest position on the team. This did not deter her however, as she chose to learn from the experience and focus on her goal. At the time there was little awareness on Cyber Security, and she had to present ideas through others for them to get heard. In learning to ‘play the game’ Tambi detailed this including tips such as: (1) Always knowing what you want in your career (2) tunnel vision focus (3) Always keep learning. Tambi used this playbook and found success.
Another one of the greatest factors attributing to Tambi’s success was the significant role of mentors. “Mentors will provide the tools you need to get to excel in your career”,she explained as she reminisced about seniors how her mentors helped hone her skills and talent. According to the survey results 43% of all women in ICT believe there are no female role models available for mentorship. Tambi herself never had a female mentor but appreciated the role of women in other industries for inspiration. Within a few years her great work had been noticed and she was offered the role of Head of Information Security at Ecobank Zambia. Often women accept lower pay for the same role, as 58% believe they tend to be less inclined to speak up on behalf of themselves. Having learnt from the mistakes of others, Tambi was quick to grab the opportunity with both hands and has never looked back.
How do we Get better from here? – The Conclusion
The answer is, well, complicated. In the story of Matambila Karima eventually her talent propelled her career when the opportunity struck. Today she is the Head of Information Security at Ecobank Zambia, additionally managing 8 Information Security Heads from 8 countries within the region. On top of this she has a Cybersecurity podcast in partnership with a colleague in the UK where they simplify Cybersecurity for the average person.
The survey provides a breakdown of the opinions of women currently working in the tech industry. This shows the patterns in the industry as a fact rather than a matter of opinion. In using those facts, encouraging more women to enter the career early and building opportunities for young women to receive mentorship will likely help improve conditions for women in the industry. Recently some female led start-ups like Lupiya, and Lusaka Grocery Delivery Company have displayed investor preference for women led tech start-ups. By following in Tambi’s footsteps and taking the leap into the industry, with knowledge of its faults, you too could be the next female tech giant.