How we provide women with tech skills, tools to thrive – Azari Founder

In a recent interview, the interviewer asked me, “What does the media attention, awards, etc mean to you?” My response was, “Every media feature gives me the chance to talk about my mission to empower more women in Design and Tech across Africa. The win isn’t just mine; it’s for every woman working hard and trying to make a mark, especially in Tech, they need to know that it is possible.

During my university days, at different times, I felt like a failure. I was very creative—I could paint, draw, etc.—but I didn’t know what to do with my creative abilities, I didn’t know if there were opportunities available for me to take advantage of, and there were not a lot of women in Design to look up to. I searched for design schools I could attend, but most of the very good ones were abroad and expensive, making them unaffordable for me. This experience inspired the idea to start The Female Designer Movement, now Azari, to help women get started in Design for free and to show them the countless opportunities and possibilities in Tech.

Many of the women I have trained and mentored work in different organizations today. So far, over 5000+ women have been introduced to Design and Tech, but I genuinely can’t wait to have the capacity to do even more. Imagine training hubs across Africa to empower women and girls passionate about Design—This is my dream, and I’m putting it out there because I know it will happen one day, soon.”

In an exclusive chat with Vanguard, the founder of Azari Women in Tech Africa, Bolanle Banwo Osadolo, speaks on her journey to creating equal opportunities for women in the digital space.