Girls Belong Here Too!

Victory Kemele’s Tech Journey

Hello,

My name is Victory Kemele! And I’m super excited to share my journey in tech with all of you today. Let’s talk about how I went from “Uhm…what’s coding?” to “I’m building things with codes now!”

1: What inspired you to start your journey in tech?

Okay, picture this: It was my final year at the university, and everyone kept asking that dreaded question “What’s next?” Me? I had no clue. I was a History and International Studies student with a brain full of dates and dynasties, not digital dreams. I wanted something meaningful… something that would last. Maybe start a business? I pondered life a bit.

Enter my big brother, Dr. Godstime Kemele (yes, PhD in progress). He said, “Victory, look into digital skills.” I blinked and went, “Isn’t that for science folks?” He laughed and said, “You can do it too just do some research and get back to me.”

So, I did. That night, I fell into a rabbit hole in the tech stuff. And when I saw people building apps, websites… even banks apps, I was like Wait, I could build a bank?! Who doesn’t want money, right? But LOL, little did I know I’d be writing lines of code and calculating screen heights and widths like a carpenter with a keyboard. Hahaha, good times.

And guess what? The journey kicked off for real when my brother went the extra mile and registered me for a three-month coding bootcamp. First month? Whew I didn’t know jack. I was just floating and paddling like a duck in a storm. Calm on the outside, pure chaos inside. But I showed up every day and kept paddling.

Then came the game changer: I joined my first hackathon called the “The Arit Developer Cycle.”

Suddenly, I had teammates, new friends, and a reason to keep going. People introduced me to different programming languages, stayed up late helping me debug errors (shoutout to Ctrl+Z warriors), and encouraged me. That’s when I realized tech is not just computers and code, it’s community. It opens your mind, your world, and your heart. You meet people from all walks of life with wild, brilliant ideas. You learn. You grow. You build together. You learn, you grow, You fail sometimes You laugh a lot, and you keep building.

But let’s keep it real. I also needed money.

After everything I’d been through, I wanted to live comfortably and earn like the tech baddies on LinkedIn. And yes, I started solving real problems! Like in 2024, I joined a team that built an event planning app where Guests could RSVP and hosts knew exactly how many servings of jollof rice to prepare.

I also built a banking app where users could access multiple bank accounts and pay bills in bits. Then I built a full website for Coderina EdTech Foundation. A platform that once required no code developers to update manually for every new event. I said no more! I created their new website with cool features that they never had and a dashboard that helps them manage blog posts, subscribers, events, forms, and messages and this saves them the cost of always asking developers to come and help update their events or forms etc. Oh and a Learning Management System that now helps them empower youths in STEAM Education.

But hear this: my first paid job?

I built a whole frontend dashboard, and my friend who was the backend developer sent me ₦2,000. I even screenshotted the alert and sent it back like, “Bro, was it a mistake?”

He said the client hadn’t paid him yet and promised to settle me later.

That was my 7th month in tech. I was shocked. For a second, I considered quitting like, “Ah! There’s no money in this thing!”

But then I remembered even if I were to hunt for a job my school result wasn’t even out at the time. No one would employ me yet. So, I kept learning. I kept building instead of doing nothing. I collaborated with strangers I met on Twitter, jumped on people’s projects (not necessarily for money but experience), and slowly built-up skills and confidence.

Today? I charge real figures. Real ones. And I still grow. Still build. Still learn.

Because tech, my people, is not just about skills. It’s about patience.

2: What challenges do girls face in accessing digital skills, and how can we bridge the gap?

Let’s be real, there are quite a few challenges, and they don’t come with a user manual

First up: money. Learning tech isn’t totally free. You need data (and lots of it), power (hello, NEPA? Are you there?) and sometimes paid courses. That alone can scare people off before they even start.

Then there’s awareness. Many girls still think tech is for “the boys with glasses who fix Wi-Fi”. They don’t realize tech is FULL of creativity! From designing websites that look like art to building apps that change lives. You don’t need to be a genius, just curious and consistent.

And mentorship? Still not enough. Most girls don’t know where to start, who to ask, or even what to do or Google. That’s why we need visible women in tech, role models who can say, “Hey girl, I’ve been there. Let me show you the ropes.”

Now here’s the part nobody tells you upfront: Tech is patience, my sister! It’s like planting a digital garden. You write code, something breaks, you fix it, it breaks again… and again… and again. And then one day, it works!

Like the amazing Radia Perlman (a.k.a. “Mother of the Internet”) once said:

“Being smart is not the same as being wise and often, patience and perseverance matter more than just raw talent.”

Boom. That part. Tech isn’t a sprint. It’s a long, buggy, thrilling rollercoaster. So, if we really want to bridge the gap, we’ve got to normalize failing forward, create safe spaces to try (and try again), and make it clear that every girl belongs in tech and not just in front of the screen, but behind the code, designing, building, leading.

3: What challenges did you personally face when you started?

Honestly? Everything

I had just graduated and was expecting to jump into a job. Instead, I was back in student mode learning HTML, CSS, and all those techy things.

No job. No money. No mentor. Just me, my laptop, and a very moody internet connection. Most people I reached out to were too busy. I had to figure out a lot on my own. But I didn’t stop. I kept showing up, bug after bug, error after error.

Then the hackathon happened, and everything changed a bit. I found a community. People who got it. People who had been where I was and pulled me up. That’s the power of tech. It’s not just code, it’s connection.

4: What do you think is the biggest barrier to girls in ICT today?

Representation and support. A lot of girls don’t see other girls doing big things in tech, so they think, “Maybe it’s not for me.”

We need more beginner-friendly opportunities built specifically for girls. Safe spaces. Scholarships. Clubs. And most importantly, visibility! Girls need to see other girls winning, building, trying, and sometimes failing (and still smiling about it).

Tech isn’t just about holding a computer. It’s about thinking, imagining, and creating. There’s so much creativity in tech just as much as it is highly competitive. From design to storytelling to problem-solving, there’s space for every kind of talent.

5: How can we encourage more girls to go into ICT and digital innovation?

First, let’s normalize the idea that girls can own the tech space. Not just work in it, own it.

Talk about it. Host events like this. Share stories. Teach in schools. Create learning spaces where girls can feel free to make mistakes and ask the “silly” questions because that’s how we all start.

And let’s stop gatekeeping. You don’t have to know everything to begin. You just must start.

If every girl in tech brought one more girl in, the ripple effect would be HUGE.

6: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to young girls who want to go into tech?

The sky is big enough for everyone.

Don’t wait to feel “ready.” You’re never too late, too young, too girly, or too anything. Just start.

Keep showing up even when it’s hard. Be patient with yourself. Ask for help. Say, “I don’t know this yet,” and then go learn it. Every little thing you figure out is a step forward. And trust me, those steps add up.

Here’s a quote I love:

“The most dangerous phrase in the language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’”

- Grace Hopper, the legendary computer scientist who literally helped invent modern programming.

So, girls, go shake the table. Try something new. Break things. Fix them. Dream big. Create boldly.

Thank you for reading my story. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things girls like YOU will build in the digital world. Let’s make history and unfold more ways to solving problems.

Happy International Girls in ICT Day,

Victory Kemele.

Connect with me:

Twitter / X: @kemele_victory

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/victory-kemele