Guest blog by Eileen Brewer, Professional Mentor
Eileen participated in the 2014 TechWomen Delegation Trips to Rwanda and Morocco. Below is an excerpt of her account of the trip to Rwanda in February, originally posted on the Symantec Corporate Responsibility in Action blog.
While many associate Rwanda with a civil war and genocide that plagued the country in the 90s, I see a different side. For example, it might surprise you that in 2008, Rwanda became the first country in the world to have a majority of women in Parliament. Today, Rwanda’s parliament is 64 percent female, and women are encouraged to complete college education and participate in the economy. Rwandans are optimistic about their current leadership and the direction of their country. There is now a culture of unity, without an emphasis on class or ethnicity, just a focus on being Rwandan.
Additionally, there is a huge focus on education in Rwanda, and the country is working very hard on developing its infrastructure. They want to become the IT hub of Africa and are inviting companies to open offices in Kigali to manufacture and sell their products in the African continent from one central point.
This is what I see, a beautiful country that has recovered significantly over the past 20 years, and is full of opportunity for its people.
Visit the Symantec Corporate Responsibility in Action blog to continue reading about Eileen’s experience in Rwanda. To learn more about the 2014 TechWomen Delegation Trip to Rwanda, please read our blog posts from the trip and visit the Delegation Trips page.
Photo Credits: Crystaline Randazzo
Eileen manages a team of Launch Program Managers, ensuring that Symantec’s products are released to market within all the guidelines set by trade compliance, global certifications, legal, licensing, product line, marketing, pricing, and support organizations. She has more than 15 years of experience with product release cycles for software and hardware product lines.
Speak Your Mind