Fortunate Farirai

General Info

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

Suppose I get attached to a hosting company that focuses on manufacturing solar panels. In that case, I will also share my PhD work on producing nano silicon particles from sugarcane bagasse ash for solar cell application. Furthermore, through my experience of being the national team leader for the green hydrogen atlas Africa project in Zimbabwe, the host company may also benefit from getting an opportunity to expand its portfolio of green hydrogen in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, if the host institution is into the distribution of solar components, we can collaborate, and they can supply to Zimbabwe.

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

1. To acquire skills to build a long lasting energy company that will address the energy challenges in my country.
2. To learn more about green hydrogen production, storage and applications and how to implement a green hydrogen value chain in my country.
3. To develop great leadership skills on how to lead a diverse team and create long lasting partnerships with other emerging leaders through networking and collaborations.

Mentorship Characteristic

• Identify workshops or certificate programs to further my learning after the program has ended
• Focus on leadership skills building
• Focus on technical skills building
• Expand on a project that I’m working on in my current role at home
• Gets me involved in day-to-day activities of the mentor and partnering company.

Ideal Company Type

The ideal company for my mentorship placement should be a company that offers energy training, energy consultancy, research and development and practical design and installation of renewable energy technologies, especially solar. It will be an exciting opportunity if the ideal company is also venturing into green hydrogen technologies. This new field in renewable energy is topical and Zimbabwe has the potential to generate green hydrogen for ammonia fertilizer production since the country's economy is agriculture-based. The ideal company size should have at least 50 employees so that I will be able to learn in the shortest possible time.

Additional Technical Skills

Retscreen
PVSyst

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

1. Hardworking
2. Outgoing
3. Reliable

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

The impact of my mentorship program on my career and the professional path will be tremendous as: 1. I will be having more confidence in executing energy-related programs at the Sustenergy training academy. 2. I would have gained leadership skills to lead a diverse team. 3. I will be able to implement green hydrogen technologies in my country using the knowledge I would have gained from host company.

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

After participating in the Techwomen program, I will join the existing TechWomen Zimbabwe alumnae to learn and network. The experience will allow me to run Sustenergy Training Academy with confidence as I would have obtained a lot of skills. In addition to exposure to the state-of-art technologies, other Sustenergy divisions, namely research and development, design and installation of renewable energy technologies, and energy consultancy will be run with professionalism due to skills obtained from the program. Furthermore, as I have been involved in policy documentation and drafting in the energy sector, my knowledge would have increased after the program.

Work History

Years of Full-time Work Experience

10

Primary Professional Focus

• Energy, renewable technology or green technology
• Scientist and researcher
• Technical project and program manager

Education History