Naimah Bashir – Software Engineer

We happen to be the generation expected to make strides in ensuring equality for both men and women. In our time we’ve had the opportunity for better education, health care and overall quality of life. I had a chat with a boss babe in the STEM world here to remind us that it’s possible and there is no limit to what we can achieve. Meet Naimah..

Who is Naimah Bashir?

Naima is a quality-oriented Software Engineer who enjoys travelling in her free time.

You are a total badass in the STEM world, how would you say it begun?

It began in high school with my Computer Science teacher who encouraged us to pick up programming. With that, I knew what I wanted to study Computer Engineering. 

Would you say studying your Bachelors in Computer Engineering abroad gave you a competitive edge in the field?

I took courses from different ranges; Physics, Machine Learning, Programming languages and Calculus. We also focused on projects where we had training on solving real-life situations. That type of learning gives you an advantage by the time you start your first job.

What does a major in artificial intelligence and robotics involve?

In simple terms, AI and machine learning are branches of computer sciences that emphasize the development of intelligent machines, thinking and working like humans. For example, we learnt about speech recognition, problem-solving and creative programming. 

Would you encourage anyone to study abroad having been there?

Yes, I would definitely recommend studying abroad simply because one gets exposed to different cultures and learning methods. This makes you open-minded.

If you could give young women in STEM any advice what would it be?

It may seem daunting and difficult, but it’s doable. There are girls like me who have done it and are thriving therefore you can try too.

Being back in Kenya working, where would you say we generally fall compared to the rest of the world in terms of software engineering?

Surprisingly Kenya has a fast-paced growing tech sector, especially in the past 10 years. We are faring quite well especially when big tech companies branch out and have offices in Kenya(Microsoft for example.)

What inspired the creation of Tech Tuesday Talk?

I noticed that most tech companies have very few female software engineers. I decided to teach young girls about tech by giving bite-sized information about different topics. I initially wanted to do it in schools but due to COVID I decided to do it online. 

As a self proclaimed nerd and geek with an interest in fashion, it’s often a blurry line in the expectations society has for how women look compared to men in the same fields. What are you thoughts on this?

Do you; dress how you feel most comfortable. There should be no restrictions where people assume all geeky girls have glasses and hoodies. You don’t have to be contained in that stereotype. You can enjoy both without compromising the other. There should be no correlation. 

How has your content creation journey been since you started YouTube?

I must admit youtube has been paused for a bit. I decided to focus on the IG lives since they are interactive and real-time. I am planning on posting them to youtube soon.

As a glow getter in the skin department, what basic advice would you give a beginner trying to take care of their skin.

See a dermatologist, if you can, to understand your skin type. This will help with products that are good for your skin.

If you could solve one problem in the tech world what would it be and why?

Hmmh, problems in tech.. Let’s see..I think the one problem which I am currently trying to solve is the gender gap.

Connect with Naimah on her Instagram Page here:

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Thank you for stopping by, hope to see you soon!

Love Glynis

In case you are new to the blog my name is Glynis Maina, this blog is my canvas and for more, please subscribe to my mailing list below and never miss a post.