Like many of us in our childhood, Roveen Anyango had wanted to become a pilot. Fast forward to 2021, though and Roveen finds herself as a Woman in Tech like many others.
“I am a digital media manager at African Women Technology,” she says, “I did BSc. IT at JKUAT and I also do freelance at my free time.”
Roveen describes her job in a nutshell,
“I help our organization reach a huge number of people in the world by posting attractive and informative things on social media.”
As a freelancer and also a digital media manager, Roveen certainly has her hands full, yet she is able to perfectly balance between her work and personal life.
“I have a work timetable and I always ensure that I abide by it,” Roveen affirms, though she admits that working from home offers unique challenges due to several distractions.
“Separating professional and personal life when working from home is a whole course that should be taught in school,” Roveen says as she laughs. And indeed, who could argue with that?
Furthermore, her ability to multitask is also what enables her to cope with the demands on her shoulders.
“Have you ever heard a saying that women can multitask? Yes, that’s how we do it in this world,” Roveen says, “I wake up at 5 AM, do all the necessary house chores. Then, by 6.30 AM, I start working. During the day, I tend to multitask. I even cook while working.”
Work Biases…
On the biases she has encountered in the tech world, getting judged as incompetent rattles Roveen.
“At times, when you meet with new friends and introduce yourself as a woman in tech, they judge you straight away, as though you have no idea what you are doing in tech. That sucks.”
But none of that has tainted her love for tech, with the digital media manager finding peace in her chosen career.
“I love creating social media content and managing WordPress websites as it gives me peace,” Roveen says.
As a woman who has managed to break into the tech world, what word of advice does Roveen have for women coming into male-dominated industries like tech?
“If you can’t do it, who will?” She poses, “It isn’t easy for all of us, but then we have to struggle till we make it. Plus, get into the department you love the most. Don’t kill yourself trying to please others. Also, get yourself a mentor that will help you strive in the tech world.”
Truer words have never been said!
