Women in the energy sector have said that while things were changing, there were still certain roles that women were expected to perform, a perception which could prevent Africa’s energy sector from progress and development.
“I still have a good laugh every now and then when I enter a meeting and they assume I am either our CEO’s personal assistant or the ‘marketing lady’,” said Zelda Weitz, COO of Symbion Power LLC, an independent power producer on the continent, who has worked and traveled in 29 countries in Africa. She further added that at her company, women were given many opportunities to grow. “Our country manager in Madagascar is a female and we have a lady in our control room at the Mandroseza power plant in Tana. In Kenya our team is 50% female, to mention but a couple of examples. I remember the days of visiting our construction sites in remote locations and the guys were surprised that I visited those sites that the construction directors did not bother to visit.