There was never a time when technology felt foreign to me. It was always present, always familiar, like the hum of a computer booting up or the rhythmic clicking of my mother’s fingers dancing across a keyboard. My mother was an information technology teacher, an ICT lecturer, and so much more—a brilliant woman who dedicated her life to making technology accessible. And I, joined at her hip, absorbed every lesson, not just in code or computing but in patience, empathy, and the art of demystifying the digital world.
She had a gift. She could take the most complex technological concepts and translate them into plain, digestible language. Whether she was explaining programming logic to high school students, guiding terrified professionals through new corporate systems, or equipping teachers with the confidence to integrate technology into their classrooms, she approached every interaction with care. There was never judgment, never condescension—only the firm belief that everyone deserved a fair shot at understanding and leveraging technology.
I watched her build bridges over the digital divide, brick by brick, lesson by lesson. And somewhere along the way, I knew I wanted to do the same.
Carrying the Torch: Bridging the Digital Divide
In many ways, my mother’s work planted the seed for what would eventually become Tech It Like a Girl—a TechEd platform designed to make technology accessible, simple, and applicable to real life and work. The premise is straightforward: if people understand the foundational principles of technology, they can adapt to any new digital tool, platform, or system.
This ideology stayed with me, shaping the way I approached technology, education, and empowerment. Too often, I’ve seen brilliant minds—entrepreneurs, professionals, and creatives alike—held back not by a lack of capability but by a fear of the unknown. They see technology as an impenetrable wall rather than a gateway. But I’ve always believed that once the basic mechanics are understood, the barriers disappear, and what once seemed intimidating becomes a tool for growth and success.
Tech It Like a Girl: A Legacy of Empowerment
Tech It Like a Girl isn’t just about tech education; it’s about empowerment. It’s about making sure that no one—whether a young girl dreaming of a career in STEM, a corporate leader adjusting to digital transformation, or a small business owner trying to navigate e-commerce—feels left behind. It’s about breaking down the barriers that prevent people from fully stepping into the digital age with confidence.
Too often, technology is designed with only digital natives in mind, leaving behind those who didn’t grow up with touchscreens and intuitive interfaces. The reality is, many older individuals want to engage with technology, but they are often met with unnecessarily complex systems that weren’t built with them in mind. This is one of the key principles I’ve integrated into Tech It Like a Girl: technology should be designed in a way that is age-friendly and universally accessible.
The Mission Continues
The truth is, nobody loses when technology is built with accessibility in mind. Young people intuitively grasp digital tools, but when we ensure that those who wouldn’t automatically “get it” can also understand and use technology with ease, we create a more inclusive and empowered society. Because at its core, technology isn’t just about innovation—it’s about connection, opportunity, and ensuring that everyone, regardless of age or background, can confidently participate in the digital world.
This mission is deeply personal to me. It’s a continuation of my mother’s legacy, a tribute to the way she changed lives simply by making technology understandable and accessible. She didn’t just teach tech; she taught resilience, adaptability, and self-sufficiency. And through Tech It Like a Girl, I aim to do the same.
In many ways, my foray into tech education isn’t just a career path—it’s a calling. It’s the fulfillment of a vision I inherited from a woman who saw technology not as a privilege but as a right. And as I move forward, building and expanding Tech It Like a Girl, I do so with the same guiding principle: that knowledge is power, and technology, when demystified, is one of the greatest tools for personal and professional transformation.
So here’s to the legacy that shaped me. Here’s to every person who has ever felt intimidated by technology. And here’s to making tech education accessible—one simplified concept at a time.
