April 19, 2023

Our impact: Inspiring the launch of Girls in Tech Zimbabwe

With community at the heart of everything we do at Girls Talk Corporation, we’re always pleased to hear how we impact the women we work with. So, the entire team were delighted to hear how our work and community inspired Josephine Chinake to launch Girls in Tech Zimbabwe. 

After joining our community and attending our annual Black Girls Tech summit, Josephine launched Girls in Tech Zimbabwe to unite the local community, share opportunities and host events. 

So, we chatted to Josephine about how Girls Talk has influenced her journey. 

Introducing Josephine  

Josephine Chinake is a founder and Product Manager from Harare, Zimbabwe. Josephine is an entrepreneur at the helm of Templelite Technologies, which offers bespoke ICT solutions to SMEs and individuals by providing development services and equipment supply. After graduating with her MBA, Josephine has been working on consultancy jobs after leaving her full-time corporate job, which she had for over five years.

Workplace challenges

What are your biggest challenges as a woman in the workplace

Corporate misogynoir is a thing that is very much present where men and older people of both sexes tend to look down at you as incompetent until you prove yourself and gain their respect. As a young professional, I have experienced older people looking down on younger employees because they think you cannot deliver anything they don’t know beforehand and tend to be dismissive initially.

Our Impact

What does being a part of the Girls Talk Corporation community mean to you?

Endless opportunities to network, learn and thrive through the various opportunities offered in the Girls Talk community. 

What is your favourite thing about Girls Talk?

My favourite thing about Girls Talk is the annual summit. Furthermore, I enjoy the constant engagement through the Slack platform, offering opportunities to elevate everyone in the community.

How has Girls Talk impacted your career so far? 

GTC has allowed me to grow; they offered a free learning slot with Alt Marketing School which I applied for and got the learning scholarship. The stuff we learnt helped in the consultancy job that I have right now and allowed me to deliver better results. The more practical approach and learning environment benefited me and my work as a product manager.

What would you like to see from Girls Talk in 2023? How can Girls Talk and our partners support you in your career?

I’d like to see more partners in the community and establish learning and mentorship opportunities within the partner institutions. I’d love to see Girls Talk open partnerships with starting communities like Girls in Tech Zimbabwe and collaborate to mentor the young, matching them with the professionals in GTC for a certain period and elevating each other.

What was the value of engaging with Girls Talk? 

The value for me was the energy and encouragement to start a community in Zimbabwe for women and girls in tech called Girls in Tech Zimbabwe. After attending last year’s summit, I gained confidence and motivation and felt prepared to start doing the work. It has been incredible so far, and the community is growing to reach and help more women do more in the tech space.

We’re proud to have inspired an initiative that will benefit women in Zimbabwe and can’t wait to see what Girls in Tech Zimbabwe do in the future. 

Stories like Josephine’s are a real testament to the power of our community, and we cannot wait to inspire, support and connect more women worldwide.