The MTN Women In ICT Awards are back for the second year in a row and this year they promise to not just celebrate CHICAs who are making strides in the information and communication technologies sector, but also to showcase the opportunities that exist and attract young aspirant female professionals to consider a profession in the industry.

MTN, in partnership with Kagiso Media and ITWeb’s Brainstorm are inviting nominations from and for eligible female professionals to be considered in the following categories:

1. Leadership Recognition Award: recognises senior female executives in the ICT sector whose proven depth of experience in leading change, influencing business outcomes and leading teams has impacted positively on the organisations they lead.
2. Innovator Recognition Award: recognises women who have introduced new methods, ideas, or products that are contributing in one way or the other to the delivery of a bold, new, digital world.
3. SME Recognition Award: recognises wholly-owned, women-run enterprises that are viable businesses which are making inroads in the ICT sector, and will be extended to internal employees who also run businesses on the side, using ICT to enable their businesses.
4. Graduate Award (High Schools): recognises a top ICT graduate from a high school who finished top of their class. The award is open to females who graduated in the immediate year preceding the awards ceremony.
5. Graduate Award (Tertiary): recognises a top ICT graduate from a tertiary institution who finished top of their class. The award is open to females who graduated in the immediate year preceding the awards ceremony.
6. Community Builder Recognition Award: recognises a woman who has made a considerable difference in her community through ICT, or use of an ICT tool to make a difference in the community.
7. Lifetime Achiever Recognition Award (Women Pioneer): recognises a woman who has longstanding success in the ICT industry, has demonstrated a remarkable entrepreneurial spirit, and has continually stayed ahead of the curve.
8. Excellence in ICT Journalism Award: this category seeks to recognise a journalist who has contributed immensely to creating a better understanding of the ICT industry through her reporting.
9. CEO’s Award: this award recognises an MTN employee that has made a difference within the organisation with the use of ICT and Technology.
10. Ministerial Recognition Award: this category gives the minister the opportunity to use their discretion to nominate a female ICT professional whose contribution has helped to bridge the digital divide and facilitate access to telecommunication services.

This year, the Women in ICT – Partnership for Change Awards has introduced a new category known as: The Public Choice Award. This category gives members of the public the opportunity to nominate an outstanding female professional in the ICT sector using an SMS platform. The dedicated SMS number will be unveiled in due course.

Mapula Bodibe, MTN SA & Mark Harris, Kagiso Media

Mapula Bodibe, Executive for the Consumer Business Unit at MTN SA, says that despite the strides being made by women professionals in ICT, a lot still needs to be done to increase the levels of women participation in the sector.

“We are here today to launch the second edition of Women in ICT – Partnership for Change Awards. We dedicate this initiative to the millions of women out there who have, over the years, been the symbols of resilience, fortitude, hope and sustenance.

These women represent our mothers, sisters, friends and colleagues. It is these women that demonstrated an inner strength that is remarkable in the face of various types of adversity. Like a phoenix, they have, during times of great difficulty, managed to rise from the ashes and served as a source of inspiration to those around them.

The representation of and by women in the ICT is still negligible. Regardless of how bleak the statistics are, there are still pockets of remarkable women leaders in the ICT sector. I wish to appeal to these professionals to use their influence and positions to pave the way for other female professionals to thrive and prosper.

We need to dispose of the exclusivist: “I am the first woman to...” mindset. We have to re-awaken the nurturing spirit that women are renowned for - to mentor and coach female professionals who are still rising up the ranks,” says Bodibe.

Nominations for entries can be submitted at https://www.mtn.co.za/womeninict

If you know a phenomenal woman in the ICT sector, please log on to https://www.mtn.co.za/womeninict to nominate. The closing date is 04 August 2017. The awards will be held on 31 August 2017, in Johannesburg.

You can also follow the conversation on social media via the #MTNWIICT2017