South Sudan Veronica Mutakyala
I stand for gender equality not only because I am a woman but because I believe in it. I also believe that treating men and women equally will make a positive difference in the workplace environment.
I worked as a Police Advisor for a well-known humanitarian agency in Darfur for more than two years. I also worked in South Sudan for more than 6 years as a Transport Officer in the Dispatch Unit. It was challenging being the only woman travelling with men in the fleet over long distances over 1500km across South Sudan. It was under difficult terrain and bad conditions, but I stood my ground and successfully operated and trained selected staff on MHEs. I took on a lot of convoy and fleet tasks and delivered engineering equipment to challenging areas. I was proud to be the first woman to join the transport section as heavy driver/equipment operator.
South Sudan has its challenges, but it is a great country with a potential for development. I think if the peace process holds with all our contributions, it can be one of the most developed countries in Africa.
As a female Workshop Supervisor I am sometimes discouraged, but I stand strong nonetheless. I cannot allow anything to impact me negatively.
My work makes me feel happy and proud. Especially as a female Workshop Supervisor in a male-dominated industry. It’s not every day you see a woman driving tractors and giving instructions to men. I believe I can do what men can do.
I stand for gender equality not only because I am a woman but because I believe in it. I also believe that treating men and women equally will make a positive difference in the workplace environment.
My advice for fellow women is: To succeed in a role like this you need endurance, patience, and to be hardworking and committed. Someone with ‘a can-do attitude’ can get very far.
