Uganda
Student Profile
Maureen Ouma
Makerere University
Local Academy
Maureen Ouma has been able to successfully juggle her family responsibilities and her academic goals. While enrolled at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, Maureen has raised three children, ranging in age from three months to five years. She has also received a Computer Science degree from Makerere University and is planning to enroll in the Masters program.
Maureen became interested in information technology while enrolled at Makerere University. Her final research paper, titled "Establishing an Effective WAN in the Uganda Judiciary," was a perfect mix of her interests in technology and development. After graduating in July 2002, a friend recommended that she pursue this passion by enrolling in the Cisco Networking Academy within Makerere University's Women and Gender Studies Department. Because she was pregnant with her third child at the time, Maureen waited until January 2003 to enroll. She began her networking training only a few weeks after the birth of her third child.
Maureen feels that what makes the Cisco Academy Program different from other IT learning opportunities is mixture of theoretical curriculum and hands-on practice sessions. "The Cisco Program enhances the practical skills, unlike other IT courses, where students are only taught theory," she says. The instructors at Makerere University have contributed a great deal to Maureen's learning. "The instructors are very encouraging and the way they present the materials to us is very effective. They are also well prepared."
Balancing family life with her academic career has indeed been a challenge for Maureen. "My daughters are between the tender ages of three months and five years," she explains. "They need extra care, especially the youngest one, who still breastfeeds. I would go to class in the morning and join her later in the day to breastfeed her." Thankfully, Maureen has received a great deal of support from her husband, who encouraged her to enroll in the Academy and continue her IT education. The response she received from some female friends was very different: "Some of my friends discouraged me with the argument that my baby was still too young to be left behind, but I was determined to do the course."
Maureen has been encouraged to further her studies, once she completes her courses in the Academy. She has already applied to Masters Degree program in the Computer Science Department of Makerere University and is constantly looking for opportunities to expand her knowledge and understanding of the IT industry. She encourages women who are interested in IT to continue their studies, regardless of the circumstances that they face along the way. "I must particularly encourage my fellow African women, who are bound to [face] more problems, especially as their families are concerned, to hold on and pursue their careers," she says. "Women should not think that IT is for men only; it is also for us!"