Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Consultancies And Appointments
Fellowships And Other Training
Timeline
Generic

KAREN F MUKWASI

Women's And Digital Rights Organiser
Harare

Summary

Experienced women's and digital rights practitioner with 16 years of experience in Zimbabwe and beyond. Founder of the Pada Platform, an organization dedicated to bridging the gender and technology gap. Qualified as a software engineer with a strong background in women's rights organizing, bringing a unique perspective to feminist tech initiatives.

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Co-founder/Director

PADA PLATFORM
Harare
11.2018 - Current
  • Company Overview: Founder and director of a feminist digital inclusion platform that works at the intersection of women’s rights and digital rights. The platform is the winner of the Women Rising Award Shoko 2018 and was recognised by the #SheTransformsTech report produced by Worldpulse in 2021
  • Launched the Young Feminist School in January 2024 and the initiative has grown to include 200 young women
  • Introduced Feminist Tech as a programming Area and to date the first feminist tech hackathon to be held in Zimbabwe has produced three viable tech solutions
  • Trained up to 105 women human rights Defenders in Digital literacy, literacy, advocacy and security training
  • Started the Feminist Tech Dialogues to create a space for women to interact with technology in a safe feminist environment

Events and Communications Officer

INTERNET SOCIETY ZIMBABWE CHAPTER
Harare
06.2022 - 08.2023

Company Overview: The Zimbabwe Chapter for the Global Internet Society.

  • Initiated the first digital citizenship project for women
  • Managed chapter events
  • Coordinated the launch of the first community network in Murambinda Zimbabwe
  • Produced a short documentary on the effect of the digital divide on young people during the Covid 19 pandemic period
  • Aligning local chapter communications with the internet global communication strategy.

Communications Resource Person

ZIMBABWE WOMEN RESOURCE CENTRE AND NETWORK
Harare
04.2017 - 09.2018
  • Developed and implemented new communication strategy
  • Documentation of projects for M and E purposes
  • Facilitation of gender responsive budget workshops
  • Newsletter editing
  • Social media management and website maintenance
  • Events management

Project Coordinator/film Producer

CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FATHERS
08.2017 - 08.2018
  • Managed one year project on the engagement of men and boys to create safe spaces for women.
  • Co-produced short film "Mukanya"
  • Project resource mobilisation
  • Outreach coordination

Programs Coordinator

WOMEN FILMMAKERS OF ZIMBABWE
01.2014 - 03.2017
  • Coordination of the International Images film festival for women in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda and Somalia.
  • Resource mobilisation
  • Curation of the festival program
  • Editing the festival newsletter

Information Officer

INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE ARTS FOR PROGRESS IN AFRICA
01.2013 - 12.2013
  • Communication support for film and artistic projects
  • Social media management

Education

BA - Communication Science

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
Pretoria
01.2011 - 01.2015

Diploma - Computer Systems Design (UK)

ASSOCIATION OF COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS
Surrey , UK
01.2002 - 01.2004

Skills

  • Project management

  • Advanced communication skills

  • Advanced computer skills

  • Events management

  • Film Production

  • Workshop facilitation

  • Report writing

  • Grant writing

Problem-solving

Partnership cultivation

Consultancies And Appointments

  • 05/01/24, Digital security training for journalists facing OGBV in Zimbabwe, Gender and Media Connect
  • 12/01/22, Development of a digital literacy and Remote learning toolkit in response to the Covid 19 induced lockdowns, Amalgmated Rural Teacher’s Union of Zimbabwe
  • 05/01/18, Communication support Urgent Action Fund Africa
  • 10/01/18, Amazing Race Season 30 - Production Coordination

Fellowships And Other Training

  • 2019, Obama African Leaders Program
  • 2016, Indiana University Bloomington - Certificate in Civic Leadership (Mandela Washington Fellowship)

Timeline

Events and Communications Officer

INTERNET SOCIETY ZIMBABWE CHAPTER
06.2022 - 08.2023

Co-founder/Director

PADA PLATFORM
11.2018 - Current

Project Coordinator/film Producer

CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FATHERS
08.2017 - 08.2018

Communications Resource Person

ZIMBABWE WOMEN RESOURCE CENTRE AND NETWORK
04.2017 - 09.2018

Programs Coordinator

WOMEN FILMMAKERS OF ZIMBABWE
01.2014 - 03.2017

Information Officer

INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE ARTS FOR PROGRESS IN AFRICA
01.2013 - 12.2013

BA - Communication Science

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
01.2011 - 01.2015

Diploma - Computer Systems Design (UK)

ASSOCIATION OF COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS
01.2002 - 01.2004
KAREN F MUKWASIWomen's And Digital Rights Organiser