Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi: W.TEC founder

About Her:

Mrs. Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi is married to Mr Olugboyega Lesi. She fell in love with tech after attending a computer school while waiting for admission into the university. She then decided to give go for it.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Essex University, United Kingdom and a Masters in Analysis, Designs and Management Information System from London School of Economics and Political Science.

• In 2001, Oreoluwa bagged a certificate in Applied Science: Multimedia and Technical writing from Harvard University Extension School.
• Certificate in Social Sector Management from Pan-African University, Lagos (Enterprise Development Centre)

Mrs. Lesi has received several awards and honours such as:

• Anita Borg Change Agent Awards in 2009; which recognizes women whose work support and encourages other women around the world in the field of computing.
• Chosen Youth Leadership Awards by LaRouche Foundation in 2014.
• Vital Voices Lead Fellow in 2014 by Vital Voices Global Partnership.
• She is also an Ashoka fellow.

She is the Founder of W.TEC and has reached out to impact over 7000 women in Nigeria.

Her Work:

Mrs. Lesi worked as Technology Associate in 2003 at Suicide Prevention Centre in Newton, Massachusetts, USA. She coordinated and provided direction for the centre’s technology and online media-related activities.

In 2005, she joined Lonadek Oil and Gas Consultants as a Training Coordinator and later became the Project Manager for a project called Vision 2020 Youth Empowerment and Restoration Initiative. As a project manager, she managed to create awareness and encourage Nigerian students towards Science and technology career.

For over 5 years, she has been a member of Association for Progressive Communication whose goal is to empower and support organisation, social movement and individuals in and through the use of Information and Communication Technologies to build strategic communities and initiatives. Oreoluwa facilitated a workshop in Nigeria in 2010 and South Africa in 2008.

Oreoluwa has written a number of  publications related to technology including:

• Networking for Success, i4d: Information for Development (Vol.7.7), July 2009.
• Telling our own stories: African Women Blogging for Social Change: Gender and Development (Vol.15:3), 2007.
• Making the Most of Online Learning: An Introduction to Learning on the Internet: Gender, Diversities and Technology Institute, Education Development Center, Inc. 2004

In 2008, Mrs. Lesi founded W.TEC for the purpose of encouraging Nigerian girls and women to use technology to empower themselves socially and economically. Every year, the non- governmental organisation runs a two weeks technology education and mentoring residential program for the girl child. The objective is to help girls develop interest in Computer and Information Technology. She also designed a program for women to develop technology skills that are relevant to their career as well as using online tools to for learning, self-development and professional development called W.TEC’s ICT Empowerment Programme for Young Women.

She was one of two recently selected by the Swedish Embassy to visit Sweden under the VIP Visitors Programme. The visit aims at connecting young Nigerian entrepreneur's with Swedish colleagues whose work is to promote an exchange and dialogue on how entrepreneurship, information and communication technology can help create a positive impact and increase quality of life.

Why TechHer Loves Her:

Oreoluwa is an epitome of change in the technology industry. We are totally in love with her drive to empower women not only on how to use technology, but how they can use it to improve their lives.

Information Gleaned from the Internet.