"It takes an accumulation of role models — real-life examples of what girls and women can do if given the opportunity — to change entrenched attitudes."
— Dr. Ansary, UN Women Global Champion for Innovation
<aside> 💡 This document is a guide to the mentorship aspect of our solution! It introduces the mentors we have already contacted and includes their background and contact information.
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In order to reach volunteer mentors, we contacted Eve Kilel, co-founder of SheHacks Kenya, a community of women in cybersecurity aiming to bridge the skill and gender gap in information security in Kenya. Eve strongly supported the idea of mentoring girls at boarding schools, and offered to connect us with the network of trainers and workshop hosts at SheHacks Kenya
"Your solution aligns strongly with the mission of SheHacks Kenya. We have a network of women mentors and would be happy to support these girls from boarding schools. I personally believe this initiative can inspire many young women to pursue careers in cybersecurity and technology, and we would be proud to contribute to your cause."
— Eve's testimonial
In addition to SheHacks Kenya, we reached out to various women-led organizations centred around empowering Kenyan girls and teaching digital skills. We received an additional 10 mentors willing to volunteer their time to support our boarding school initiatives.
The mentors we've reached out to have generously offered their time to meet (either in-person or through virtual conferencing) with girls at the boarding schools that implement this initiative at no cost. They will connect weekly, and the mentors have additionally agreed to be available through email or other messaging platforms to answer any technical questions the girls may have. We believe that through this mentorship program, the girls we reach will be more inspired in their own careers when faced with role models exemplifying that success is within reach.