2025-12-06 –, Main Stream Language: English
Mentorship is at the heart of many tech journeys, often being the first place where women feel supported, guided, and encouraged to grow. In this panel, we will hear stories from across Africa, showing how women start as mentees and eventually step into mentorship themselves, carrying forward the support they once received.
Panelists will share experiences from different types of mentorship, including structured programs, peer-to-peer learning, and informal guidance, and how these relationships help develop technical skills as well as leadership, advocacy, and community-building abilities. The discussion will also highlight how mentorship is a two-way street, with mentees shaping the growth and perspective of their mentors. Finally, we will explore practical advice for new mentees, strategies for mentors to provide meaningful support, and ideas for expanding mentorship programs to reach and empower even more women in tech.
Sumaiya Nalukwago is an experienced IT Professional and Tech Community Lead with over six years of proven success in leveraging technology to drive economic development and foster innovation across Uganda.
A recognized voice in the continental tech landscape, Sumaiya has been a dedicated volunteer for PyCon Uganda since its inception and has spoken at major international conferences. This experience underscores her deep commitment to the open-source movement and her ability to engage diverse global audiences.
As a Community Lead for Google Developer Groups Cloud Mbarara and an Ambassador for Google Women Techmakers, Sumaiya actively skills and mentors thousands of youth and women entrepreneurs in digital literacy, business development, and tech-solution design. She specializes in translating complex technological concepts into accessible, actionable skills, enabling grassroots enterprises to thrive in the digital economy and confidently bridge the digital skills gap.
Cecilia is passionate about diversity and gender inclusion in the technology field. She is the co-founder of the Mozambican Women in Technology Association, a co-organizer of Django Girls & PyLadies, and an active member of Python community Maputo. Currently pursuing a PhD in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence at Gaston Berger University, her research focuses on Artificial Intelligence and Education, with a special interest in Educational Data Mining and intelligent systems in education.
