Girls in ICT day in Burundi

4/27/2017

Africa, Burundi, Bujumbura Mairie, Burundi

YWCA Burundi and ICT

This fourth Thursday of April 2017, the YWCA Burundi introduced 10 selected young ladies of the association to Econet Leo Burundi.  It is one of the fastest, growing companies in telecommunications with coverage in all provinces of the country. Miss Mbesherubusa leaded the visit and the place chose by the firm for the day was in Kinanira II, a closed place to public where there is one of the most important pylons of Econet Leo. The visit was leaded by one of the employee of the firm named Inès Mbesherubusa, an engineer in ICT working as a designer and optimization engineer.

By sharing her background, she explained how difficult studying telecommunications is difficult from the beginning especially when students don’t see the department as it is open for the two genders but as she was saying, she was lucky family have always supported her. She was several times asked if she will be able to work even if she did well in university. Arrived at Econet Leo, climbing pylons was a must for her to be recruited and that gave her the job she has today.  “At the beginning, no one could accept, I will be able to climb pylons but I did it once, twice and more often".
She used to work in remote places whenever it was needy. According to her experience, women are few in ICT and Burundians ‘believes, women can't be engineers in telecommunication should change. She encourages today girls and women to study or influence other girls to study ICT.

"I was able to know how pylons are connected and how network is transmitted but what was the most interesting is to know more about challenges Miss Mbesherubusa faced and how she fought to realize her dream. Even if I haven't studied ICT, I encourage young Burundians girls to study ICT" told us Cynthia Irakoze, member of the YWCA Burundi and one of the visitors of the day.

"Introducing young students to ICT is one of our best achievements and this visit is our second edition of this celebration. Next year, we hope to enlarge the program by organizing site visits by many students from different schools so that believes about women and ICT can change in the country and local structures open doors to equally to girls and boys. Testimonies of students who participate in the program are encouraging and motivate us every year." Edra Muterateka, responsible of the Youth at the YWCA Burundi.