Bridget Mendoza, Kampala

I was in my final year at university when I discovered Andela. I’d heard positive things from friends, including someone who trained at one of their boot camps. Andela’s vision is to solve global problems, which is what I love the most about tech, from playing with puzzles as a kid to developing software. At school, I focused primarily on getting the best grades. Still, I realized that letting people experiment with technology through trial and error produced more innovative results. Midway through my final papers at university, I applied to join the Andela boot camp. When my last paper was submitted, I was notified about my Andela interview. Several of my friends had applied at the same time, and we were all excitedly texting and calling each other when our letters arrived.

At Andela, the focus on training engineers was inspiring and I knew I still had a lot to learn. After my first boot camp, I was accepted into Andela’s network as a developer. Andela’s courses and boot camps helped newcomers learn the fundamentals of tech, to try, fail, and try again, and this really resonated with me. I volunteered to help new Andelans in Rwanda, and to support engineers through my role in the Senate, the engineering leadership body. Soon after, I became a tutor in Andela’s Women in Tech Leadership Program.

This boot camp was a beautiful community of like-minded tech enthusiasts. In daily life, I am a bit of an introvert, and sometimes suffer from imposter syndrome. I second-guessed myself, thinking “Can I do this? Will I really be able to help people?” But when I was tutoring, I was finally able to come out of my shell, as I was surrounded by a community of people on my wavelength. It was a natural growth moment in my life.

We helped to train over 200 female aspiring techies, and each tutor was assigned four students to mentor, sharing skills from software delivery to leadership and entrepreneurship. Working with so many interesting women from diverse backgrounds was amazing. They were nurses, lawyers, businesswomen, farmers, and stay-at-home mothers, all keen to learn more about technology. Women in tech can experience a lot of gender bias, and it helped our learners to work closely with female tutors as they developed their skills. 

Something I always tell females I work with is: “If you have a dream, find a mentor who will help you get there.” We can all strive for greatness but having that support and guidance, whether it is a team leader who motivates you, or a friend who gives you the confidence to join a robotics club, is essential.

Mentoring Andela’s young female techies was a touching experience, and I knew that guiding the careers of up-and-coming tech talent would be part of my own career trajectory. In 2019, I supported several of my friends from Andela, helping them to publish a book – Vulumba React – based on their previous React work.  

Soon after, through Andela, I matched to a software engineering role with Crossover Health, and I am still with them almost five years later. I have friends from university on our team who also joined Andela, through their other learning programs. Andela lays out stepping stones for you when you join, helping you to hone your communication skills and learn how to conduct yourself in a work environment, giving you a solid foundation when you start a new role. 

I’ve had an incredible growth journey at Crossover Health, joining as a Software Engineer and working my way up to my current role, as Squad Leader.  What I love most about leadership is being able to help people become better versions of themselves. Guiding your mentees as they solve problems and helping them to feel part of the team is the best feeling in the world. Leadership isn’t just about striving for success; it’s about helping your team understand your organization’s goals and ensuring they feel they’re making a significant contribution. We all want to add value rather than just be a cog in a system. Supporting females in tech is essential, and I love seeing women succeed. My team has seen so much growth by hiring female engineers, lead architects, managers, and senior directors. The tech industry still has a way to go, but ever since my time at Andela’s boot camps, I can see significant strides in female representation. 

One of the things I loved most about the Andela boot camps was the sense of camaraderie. Six years on, whenever I see folks from Andela, nothing has changed. Yes, we’ve grown. Some of us are married with young families, and others have traveled the world, but whenever we meet, it’s like we’ve never been apart. Andelans always “get you” and make you feel instantly at home. It’s comforting to know that no matter where life takes me, I’ll always have the support of this welcoming community.