TechHer Meets, a monthly networking event for women, held its debut event in Abuja yesterday the 30th of March, 2017 at 3J’s Hotel, Jabi, Abuja. TechHer Meets was designed to demystify technology, provide a safe, fun space for practical learning and foster economic empowerment by encouraging collaborations. The event seeks to provide an offline component for TechHer’s online activities.
The event featured three speakers; Simi Fajemirokun of ESFAJ and Partners, Stella Uzochuwku – Denis of Odyssey Foundation and Judy Melifonwu from IBM who shared of their experiences working as entrepreneurs, employees, and social enterprise owners. The sessions were interactive and an opportunity for knowledge sharing across a variety of topics.
Attendees won TechHer branded items from the networking competition and there was a table laden with drinks and snacks for everyone to feast on.
The two-hour long event also featured a question and answer session themed security which shared information on data privacy day, two-step verification and acceptable passwords.
The event ended with 14 of the attendees signing up for a free digital marketing class TechHer offered the women as a welcome gift.
TechHer Meets holds on the last Friday of every month. It is an initiative of TechHer, a community of learning, support and collaboration for women working with technology either as the core of their function or as an enabler.
TechHer is online as @TechHer NG on Facebook, Twitter,and Instagram is home at techherng.com and can be reached via 09083041940.
Abang Mercy was born in Ogoja in 1984, in a neighbouring town to Boki located in Cross river state. She studied at Holy Child Primary School and later proceeded to Holy Child Secondary School, both in Igoli- Ogoja.
Abang Mercy relocated to Abuja with her parents where she continued her secondary school education at Gwarinpa Secondary School, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. She also attended the International Institute of Journalism where she studied Journalism. She obtained a Post-Graduate certificate in Advertising and Public Relations.
Mercy studied Digital Story Telling at the Grimme-Institut in Bonn, Germany. She has also studied Media in Peace Keeping Operations and Elections Observation at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center in Accra, Ghana
Abang Mercy is a Nigerian journalist, Environmental consultant and Social media expert. She has gone on several election observation missions on the West African sub-continent. She also runs an interview series, "Conversations with Abang Mercy".
She has worked at Independent Television and Radio, Abuja as a Political correspondent. At ITV Abuja, she worked as a non-linear editor, Presentation director and Producer. One of her programs was a breakfast show, This Morning on ITV.
In the course of her work with Heinrich Boll Foundation, she has done articles and presentations on Nigeria's environmental situation and postulations for the future in several Nigerian cities including Lagos, Abuja and also internationally, in Berlin and London.
She has worked with her fellow African youths and civil societies organisations in lobbying and advocacy with organisations like Oxfam GB Nigeria, West African Civil Society Forum, Heinrich Boell Foundation etc.
Mercy worked as a Media assistant to the former Governor of Cross River State, Governor Donald Duke during his presidential campaigns on the platform of the Donald Duke Campaign Organization.
In 2004, she represented Nigeria alongside other influential Africans lobbying against the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) with the European Union and the African and Caribbean Countries (ACP) in Senegal and the Gambia.
In 2014, Mary Abang was a participant of African Union's Third Annual High Level Dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance in Africa; Trends, Challenges and Prospects that held at Nairobi’s Safari Park.
Mercy Abang played a role during preparations for Nigeria's 2015 elections. In September 2014, Mercy anchored a Lagos meeting with young people where she interviewed Nigeria's Former Vice President and a presidential aspirant in the election, Atiku Abubakar.
In March 2015, Mercy hosted a 2-hour live television town hall meeting with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Attahiru Jega. She was in working company of the international journalist, Kadaria Ahmed of the BBC.
She is also a contributor at top media organisations in Nigeria like YNaija and EcoJournalism . YNaija is an internet newspaper for young Nigerians whereas Ecojournalism helps in easy writing of essays.
Why we love her:
In Mercy Abang's words, "Challenge is not forgetting who you are and what you stand for". She explains that switching roles at specific times has been a challenge but she has overcome that by specifically defining her roles at every point in time.
Mercy is not biased in her opinions and this has landed her on great platforms. We really do admire the great works she is doing here in Nigeria. We hope our girls and women will learn from her.
