Emma Mphahlele

General Info

What will be your most valuable contribution to your TechWomen host company?

I believe that my host company would benefit from learning about my ground experience in contributing to the realization of the UN SDG #4 (quality education), and how in a small way I am contributing to the promotion of SDG #5 and #10 (gender equality and reduced inequality) in South Africa through my Girls in Robotics and Robotics with Neurodiverse projects. I hope my experience and knowledge will ignite them to become a collaborator in these impact projects within their own communities (if they are not already involved), to experience how fulfilling it is to promote inclusivity for children/youth.

The Top Three Things I Would Like to Learn or Experience During my Mentorship

1. To connect with changemakers/ educational technology organisations in the US using robotics and coding to nurture neurodiverse academic development.
2. Learn digital tools that I can transfer to unemployed youth in South Africa which can easily be transformed into income generating skills for themselves.
3. Learn from the best, return home with tools to help me run a lean but high impact and sustainable organisation.

Mentorship Characteristic

• Attend company meetings
• Focus on leadership skills building
• Present my current work to professionals in my industry
• Expand on a project that I’m working on in my current role at home
• Have exposure to basic industry techniques
• Have exposure to specialized industry techniques

Ideal Company Type

My ideal company focuses on or supports the promotion of STEM education for children and youth, has experience in delivering robotics and coding education to girls and neuro-diverse students in elementary to middle school, and supports young women from marginalized backgrounds with digital skills development that upskills them for employment or to amplify their small businesses. A small to medium-size company that has a broader impact and global outlook would be ideal. The company could also be a collaborator in STEM education promotion and supporter of social impact organizations across the globe. Desired Industries: EdTech, Energy, Automation and Engineering.

Additional Technical Skills

I have great organizational skills that help me to run my business professionally even with less resources. For example, through my NPO, I organized and ran the first provincial FIRST Lego League Scrimmage in South Africa which brought over 300 participants inclusive of Technology and Engineering firms, parents, schools and civil society in one place in April 2022. Through delivering Lego Robotics training, I have merged my knowledge of corporate/ business strategy with the approach to strategy formulation to help students participating in the FIRST Lego League and World Robot Olympiad robotics competitions. I support women with digital skills to amplify their businesses.

What are three adjectives that best describe you in the work place?

1. Reliable
2. Organized
3. Bubbly

What impact will your mentorship have on your career and professional path?

My dream for my NPO is to open the first Adventure (innovation learning) hub for children and youth (primary focus on girls and neuro-diverse).I have been making connections and efforts to realize this dream, but the progress is too slow. The mentorship will help me to refocus and identify what I could be doing better to realize this dream. I have submitted proposals to various organizations regarding how my private company can support in reducing unemployment, upskilling unemployed female graduates while promoting quality education that is inclusive. My approach to these types of opportunities can be improved. I need to establish structure in my organizations.

After participating in the TechWomen program, how will you leverage your mentorship experience to make an impact in your home country?

I plan to use my global networks to collaborate (UN SDG#17) with multinational organizations in making the realization of the UN SDG # 4,5,and 10 possible through my Girls in Robotics and Robotics with Neuro-diverse. I hope to use the networks I would have made to scale on the impact of my NPO projects and to support my board members in their home countries in empowering girls with digital skills to establish and run businesses that can sustain them. With an improved decision-making approach, business structure and strategy, I hope to grow my private company profitability to help me advance my NPO dreams.

Work History

Years of Full-time Work Experience

16

Primary Professional Focus

• Educational technology
• Energy, renewable technology or green technology
• Technical training

Education History