Removing the Barriers: Hostinger Joins Groundbreaker Talents to Help Ugandan Youth Succeed in IT

Among promising career opportunities, IT stands out as an exciting and well-paid choice. To help young Ugandan women gain a foothold in the IT field, one of Hostinger’s board members, Jochen Berger, co-founded the Groundbreaker Talents program. 

Continue reading to find out what it is, how Hostinger participates in the program, and what you can do to empower Ugandan youth.

Empowering Ugandan Youth in IT

Groundbreaker Talents is a full-time scholarship program in Software Engineering that enables Ugandan students from underprivileged communities to achieve their full potential. 14 Ugandan women have already been participating in the program since last June. Another 15 participants are awaiting their training, which will start in March. Hostinger, together with other enterprises, provides funding, mentors, and lectors for the training.  

Maybe you also want to be a part of it? In fact, some of our colleagues are already helping to break the ground for aspiring tech talents from Uganda.

One Hour a Week Makes a Difference

Živilė Lazauskienė, Analytics Engineer at Hostinger, did not hesitate when she learned about the Groundbreaker Talents. “For me, it was clear that it was a well-thought-out, high-quality program and that becoming a mentor would be well worth the time and effort. It focuses on people that can really benefit from the scholarships since the mentees come from the underprivileged communities but must have that spark and motivation to be selected for the program”, – says Lazauskienė. 

By joining Groundbreaker Talents, Živilė committed to dedicating at least one hour per week to her mentee and having regular online meetings with her throughout the one-year-long training course. 

“As she has already enrolled in a very rigorous program, I don’t play an active role in guiding her learning day-to-day. Instead, during our discussions, I strive to pinpoint her specific interests and offer insights from my own experiences that can complement her formal education. We also engage in conversations about practical aspects of the professional world, such as collaborative coding, version control, and the dynamics of cross-functional product teams”, – shares Živilė Lazauskienė.

Rewarding Experience

Živilė notes that being involved in mentoring has always been a two-way process, so she also gets to learn a lot of new things – specifically about Uganda and its people, the ins and outs of the local labor market, global developments in IT, and how they affect this specific region of the world.

“I’m lucky to have a chance to know my mentee quite well on a personal level. She is smart, motivated, very curious, and a quick learner, too. I’m confident that these qualities will help her succeed in whichever path she chooses to pursue following the program. I’m grateful for the opportunity to impact someone’s life and career positively and to be able to support a person who is just starting her journey in IT. The sense of fulfillment is undoubtedly there and provides the best reward”, – emphasizes Živilė Lazauskienė.

A Way to Give Back

Živilė is not the only one who feels this way. Nisha Yadav, Video Content Creator at Hostinger, will also join the program. As Nisha has benefited from the more experienced colleagues’ guidance in her own career a lot, she is fully aware of the role that mentors play.

“Mentors throughout my career have been my unsung heroes. Their advice went beyond technical aspects – they taught me how to navigate the professional landscape, how to network, and the importance of giving back by sharing knowledge. They’re the big reason I’m so passionate about mentorship today. So, the program with a mission to empower Ugandan youth, especially those from financially constrained backgrounds, in IT really struck a chord with me. When I learned about Groundbreaker Talents, I could not pass the opportunity”, – tells Yadav.

Mentors Also Get to Learn

For Nisha, participating in the Groundbreaker Talents program has already been a valuable experience. She points to a variety of events and activities, from workshops to networking sessions, that have been truly enriching for her.

“These interactions not only allowed me to connect with like-minded professionals but also provided a deeper understanding of the unique challenges in Uganda’s IT landscape. Every session has been a learning experience, and the enthusiasm and commitment of everyone involved have been truly infectious”, – reveals Yadav.

While she’s still waiting to be paired with her mentee, Nisha is using this time to prepare herself to be the best mentor she can be. This includes understanding the program’s matching process, which carefully considers the skills, interests, and goals of both mentors and mentees. 

“Having previously worked with diverse groups, I feel excited and ready for this new engagement. I believe that my experiences with different cultural backgrounds will enrich this mentoring relationship. Through this mentoring program, I aspire to foster a nurturing and insightful experience for my mentee, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to excel in the IT field. My goal is to see them not just as a successful IT professional but as a future leader who can contribute innovatively and ethically in their domain”, – highlights Yadav.

Your Chance to Contribute

Živilė and Nisha say they wouldn’t think twice if they had to make a decision to join the mentorship again. For them, it is an incredible experience and a chance to change someone’s life for the better. 

Do you also feel like your mentoring could contribute to the professional advancement of young people in less fortunate communities? Do you think that sharing your knowledge and expertise could be valuable for others? Then, don’t hesitate to join Živilė and Nisha and become a Groundbreaker Talents mentor. Your skill set and experience in IT can be used to provide Ugandan women with an opportunity to improve their quality of life by pursuing a promising career. 

Go ahead, find more information about this program, and get a rewarding and meaningful cross-cultural professional experience.