Anita Onyenekwe is a young tech enthusiast with a background in journalism. Though she had minimal exposure to tech before, the Girls Tech Bootcamp ignited her passion, leading her to win a 21-day coding challenge. With a keen interest in creativity and innovation, Anita envisions using tech to enhance the broadcasting industry while also aspiring to tackle Nigeria’s electricity challenges. Excerpts..
Can you introduce yourself ?
My name is Onyenekwe Anita. I’m from Imo State, but I live in Lagos, and I’m 16 years old. I completed my secondary education at Air Force Secondary School, Ikeja. Currently, I’m doing an internship at the National Broadcast Academy because I recently completed a six-week journalism course there. So, I’m interning at the radio station right now. That’s a summary of myself and my educational background.
You’re part of the Girls Tech Bootcamp. Before the bootcamp, were you already involved in tech, or was it your first time exploring it?
Speaking about tech, it was actually my first real experience with it. In secondary school, we had just a little information about coding and Python, so I had some basic knowledge about tech. But it was at the Rubies Tech Bootcamp that I gained a truly meaningful experience learning tech and Python.
What advantages has the bootcamp given you?
The bootcamp has given me a lot of advantages. First of all, it’s helped me delve deeper into my understanding of tech. I’m the kind of person who loves creativity and making new things. One great thing about the bootcamp was that they created a very comfortable and stable environment, and it was for girls only. Seeing my fellow girls and what they could do made me feel like I could do it too, which was really motivating for me. Secondly, the way they encouraged us, I felt truly inspired to learn tech. Initially, even though I wanted to learn it, I didn’t plan to go fully into it. I thought, “Okay, let me just learn the basics and move on.” But I was amazed at what I learned and wanted to dive deeper. That’s why I participated in the 21-day coding challenge and came out as the winner, I wasn’t even expecting that! I saw the challenge as a way to push myself and create something that showed what I had learned in the six months at the bootcamp. It was a very, very good experience. I loved everything we did there. If I could relive those memories, it would mean so much to me, I really loved that experience at the bootcamp.
What sector in Nigeria would you love to change if given the opportunity as a tech person?
If I had the knowledge and opportunity, I wouldn’t decide based solely on what I know now but on what I’d want to do. In Nigeria, we face challenges with electricity, I really don’t know why our electricity supply is so poor. If I could do something about it, that’s the main thing I’d love to change.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
In the next five years, I have big ambitions and goals, but I’ll focus on my long-term ones. First, I’m very grateful for the knowledge of tech I’ve gained, and I’m sure I’ll create something tangible and relevant to me and the people around me. Second, with the profession I’m pursuing journalism, I feel like I can use my tech knowledge to make my work easier. For example, I currently work in the broadcasting sector, where we use transmitters and other equipment. I believe there are things we can improve there with tech.
What advice do you have for kids?
The advice I have for young ones is similar to what we were told at the bootcamp, which really empowered and inspired me. I’d tell them that whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve it. Tech can be tiring, sometimes you just want to give up, or you feel like you’re not seeing results. Most people are eager to see quick outcomes, they want to input something and get instant results. But what they don’t realize is that when you fail or see an error, you learn from it. So, I think they should stay calm, focus their mind on what they’re doing, and they’ll succeed. There’s no way they can’t achieve something they’re determined to do. No matter how dull or smart you are, just keep pushing, be determined, and stay consistent. Consistency is really essential in this tech field because things change every day, and you learn something new every day. So, practice daily, keep pushing, and I’m sure you’ll acquire the knowledge you want.
And to parents, I think parents should empower their kids too. They should know how to encourage and support them. Some kids love fixing things or creating stuff, parents should nurture that, even by showing them videos of people who have succeeded before. That’s how they empowered us at the Girls Tech Bootcamp,they showed us videos of kids younger than us, older than us, and even our age mates doing amazing things. That’s a great way to inspire and empower them.
