“My mum’s misfortune as a victim of a vishing attack inspired me to start a career in cybersecurity. Today, I work as a Digital Forensics Analyst in Kenya, a role i attracted after applying technical skills gained from the CyberGirls Fellowship and visibility principles taught in the LinkedIn Masterclass by Confidence Staveley”
HELLEN MUTHONI
“My name is HELLEN MUTHONI from Kenya in the ongoing cohort of the CyberGirls Fellowship and this is my #HerCyberStory.
I’m a third-year student at KCA University, studying Information Security and Forensics—an accidental course that turned out to be exactly what I needed.
Last year my mum experienced a vishing attack. As an information security student, much was expected from me, but I couldn’t help much. This embarrassed me and marked a turning point.
With a strong quest for knowledge, I downloaded materials on cybersecurity, honestly I didn’t know what was right for me.
Early in November, my lecturer in Uni sent us a link to the ongoing CyberGirls Fellowship application. Also, my mentor emphasized the importance of applying for the program, which piqued my curiosity. What exactly makes this program great? I now know, it was all I needed to achieve my goal.
Thanks to the Cybergirls Fellowship, the pre-requisite training stage gave me a solid foundation in cybersecurity. The mantra “nothing is too difficult for me to master” helped me escape the jaws of the myth that ladies didn’t belong in cybersecurity.
Have I faced challenges before? Yes I have. After completing the intense and thorough application process successfully, I shared my joy with everyone. I was glad to have support. Specifically, my dad promised me his support and was ready to offer anything for me to give the program my best. This gave me the courage to continue. This was among the last conversations we ever had. Shortly after his promise, I received the most devastating news of his death. I had every reason to give up, but I had to be resilient.
Cybergirls has equipped me with incredible skills, both soft and hard. I am now confident in myself. Among the many things that make me a proud Cybergirl is the CyberFriday program—the chance to stay updated on current trends in the field is incredible. I am comfortable using different tools like Wireshark, FTK imager, Autopsy, Kali Linux and solving different challenges in WebGoat (website vulnerability assessment), etc.
How did I land my internship role as a Digital Forensics Analyst? During a LinkedIn Master Class with Confidence Staveley, I learned an invaluable soft skill: becoming visible. Following her instructions to optimize my LinkedIn profile got me the job.
An employer reached out, requesting me to intern at his company. Thanks, Confidence Staveley , for the skill you equipped us with as newcomers in the field—it’s invaluable.
Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to the people who made this possible. Without them, I would still be an embarrassed cybersecurity student. Thanks to the CyberSafe Foundation for giving us an opportunity to be mentored and actualize our dreams.”
CyberGirls Fellowship is Africa’s largest #cybersecurity training and mentorship program for young women. An initiative of CyberSafe Foundation.
