On 24 April 2026, SMART Zambia Institute invited me to speak on a radio interview for International Girls in ICT Day. A few minutes on air. But those few minutes represented something I did not have growing up: a woman in a government technology role saying out loud that this field is for you.
What I actually do
I am a Senior Systems Developer at SMART Zambia Institute. I build and maintain digital systems that sit behind government services. Most people never see this infrastructure but interact with it every day. It is detailed, methodical work. You spend a lot of time understanding how things connect before you write a single line of code.
I wanted to name that reality on air because the image most girls have of ICT is either a lone genius in a dark room or a Silicon Valley startup. Some of the most meaningful technology work happens inside public institutions, solving problems that actually matter.
What I said
I told them they do not need to wait until they feel ready. Readiness is not something you arrive at before you begin. It is something you build by beginning.
I also told them that one step is enough. One course. One project. One question they were afraid to ask. That is how most of us started.
A note to any girl reading this
I was once exactly where you are. Unsure. Wondering if I was the right kind of person for this field.
I was not waiting for permission. I was just stubborn enough to keep going.
Come and build the next generation of systems. We need you here.