In South Africa, the month of August carries special significance. It is Women’s Month; a period of national celebration and recognition of the indispensable role women play in shaping our societies. For Mukuru, an African financial services provider, empowering women across the continent by providing accessible and inclusive financial services is core to its business culture.
In many parts of Africa, women serve as the backbone of households and communities. They are caregivers, educators, and often, primary breadwinners. In the face of socio-economic challenges, women throughout the continent are rising above their circumstances, becoming entrepreneurs to ensure the wellbeing of their families. These women are a source of inspiration to us all and at Mukuru, they form an essential part of the community.
“Women are the driving force when it comes to building well-rounded and thriving homes and communities, despite the challenges that we face daily,” says Daisy Hlalele, Infotech Product Owner at Mukuru. “Imagine how much better the world would be if we had access to the tools and support to do even more.”
Mukuru’s role in women’s empowerment
Mukuru’s commitment to women’s empowerment is embedded in its operations and organisational structure. As an illustration of this, consider that 56% of Mukuru’s representation is female, with employees ranging from high school graduates to PhD holders, according to Sandy Rheeder, Chief Information Officer at Mukuru. “Furthermore, 40% of Mukuru women hold decision-making roles in the C-suite, as executive heads, heads of department, and country managers.”
Rheeder epitomises the success of women in the technology sector. Starting as a business analyst, she worked her way up the ranks to become one of the few female CIOs in the African tech industry.
“After consulting for more than 16 years in the banking sector, I found my home at Mukuru. They are a company who makes a fundamental difference in people’s lives, more than I ever could while working in banking,” she says.
Rheeder attributes her success to Mukuru’s supportive and empowering environment, which she describes as a place where “women should never have to apologise for having families. Their families are their strength.”
Mukuru’s Head of Product Domain for Financial Services, Lorraine Nyawo, reiterates this commitment. She highlights Mukuru’s specific initiatives that aim to empower women, including partnerships with organisations like WeThinkCode to run women-only hackathons. Beyond that, Mukuru also offers internships and supports job shadowing programmes.
“I can sum up my journey at Mukuru in this saying ‘Lift, as you rise’ – the leaders in our space have taken this to heart and have always looked back to offer me a hand, to ensure that I become the best version of myself. I am grateful to work for an organization that fosters authentic growth and leadership,” says Lethabo Manaka, Infotech Product Owner at Mukuru.
The intersection of technology and women’s empowerment
Mukuru leverages technology to uplift and empower women across Africa. Nyawo explains how Mukuru creates digital stores of value to people across Africa so that they do not have to carry cash, thereby addressing a significant security risk. The company also uses technology to improve financial literacy and bring banking products to unbanked markets, particularly focusing on women.
Nyawo further highlights Mukuru’s commitment to building digital solutions for all genders, ensuring that their products are accessible, even to those with feature phones and limited data access. By doing so, Mukuru empowers women to access financial services and contribute to their economy.
Future plans for women’s empowerment
As for Mukuru’s future plans, they’re both ambitious and resolute. The company plans to roll out leadership programmes, extend its internship schemes, and initiate additional coding programmes and hackathons. Moreover, Mukuru aims to strengthen its women’s mentorship programme because, as Nyawo emphasises, “representation matters. It is important for someone to see themselves in you.”
“We want to encourage women to take up the challenge and embrace that entrepreneurial spirit. We want to show them how to be brave and take that small step to start with something new. And it is working. In some countries in Africa, almost 70% of our senders are female. Women love our technology as it empowers them to send money to their family. We are giving them a platform where they can grow and harness the potential to enter careers which they did not think were possible,” says Rheeder.
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