Celebrating Women’s Month
Nettey Madhinga
Occupation: Student
Academic Institution: Gwanda State University
*Additional:
- Publications Team Member (African Surveyors Connect)
- Brand Ambassador (Get Kids Into Survey)
- Team Lead (Youth Mappers – Gwanda State University Chapter)
Country: Zimbabwe
What inspired you to pursue your career?
I never knew anything about the surveying profession. It was never in my wildest dreams that one day I will be in geospatial industry. I finished A’level with no sense of direction meaning to say I was not sure of who I wanted to be.
A time came when I had to choose who I was going to be in life. I came across “Geomatics and Surveying” on the Gwanda State University application form and it was my first time realizing there was program like that. They say, “Curiosity killed a cat,” so instead of dying of curiosity I had to research on what this Geomatics was all about.
Everything I found out about this program drew my heart towards it. “HONESTY” is one of the important character traits of a surveyor, so we can agree that this career teaches real life aspects that one should carry everywhere they go.
“No one knows what a surveyor does until it is done wrong.”
That was me, I never knew what surveyors do and that curiosity of what they do that is only known when done wrong made me want to pursue a degree in Geomatics and Surveying.
In short let me say the story of my journey in the geospatial industry was curiosity driven.
What have been some of your biggest accomplishments in your career?
One thing I have realized about the geospatial industry is that there was vast opportunities that can only be unlocked by nothing else but “PASSION.”
My curiosity grew into passion and that passion is giving birth to some accomplishments slowly but surely.
- I managed to setup a YouthMappers chapter at Gwanda State University (GSU YouthMappers Chapter)
- Through GSU YouthMappers Chapter we won our first grant to host an Open Data Day in 2023
- I became a brand ambassador for Get Kids Into Survey
- I managed to be part of the amazing community of women in the geospatial industry-African Women in GIS
- I was selected among the few volunteers who applied to be editors and publishers at African Surveyors Connect
- I qualified for the WeMAST/GMES & Africa phase 2 training on Earth Observation Applications in Wetland Monitoring And Assessment and learnt a lot during the program.
What challenges have you faced in your career and how have you overcome them?
The challenges I can mention are the challenges I faced dealing with myself (intrapersonal conflict). It took me time to believe I can do what other women and girls of my age where doing in the geospatial industry. Fear and self-doubt kept me sitted for so long doing nothing, just watching others do what I could do too.
Everything changed when I fully convinced myself that, “The only impossible journey is the one we never start.”
What advice do you have for other women who are aspiring to pursue a career similar to yours?
All I can say is,
“The only impossible journey is the one we never start.”
Before you fully committee yourself to the geospatial industry everything seems scary and impossible, but believe me when
I say this career is just filled with fun, new discoveries as well as vast opportunities.
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