Sylvia Jebet: Gen Z engineer pushing for mechanised farms

At the height of Covid-19 in 2020, Sylvia Jebet Kipkemoi, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication and Information Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), was stuck in the village.

This was after all learning institutions were closed following the lockdown that resulted from the pandemic. A third-year student at the time, Jebet retreated to her village to take up some farm work, as the uncertainties presented by the pandemic unfolded.

At the university, she was a member of an engineering club, where she was in charge of the club’s publicity. Jebet, in an interview with Enterprise, said they relied a lot on keeping in touch through printed stuff like fliers, which the pandemic now restricted.

As Covid deaths became a reality, she began scouting for other means of communication with her club members before they opted to form a WhatsApp group during the lockdown.

It’s through this group that one of the members shared a link to Huawei’s ‘Seeds for the Future programme’.  

Intrigued by the prospect of training and international exposure, Jebet eagerly applied for the programme. The rigorous selection process tested her technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and passion for technology. 

Senior students

She then went through an interview process and was lucky to be one of the students picked for the programme in 2020.  “I applied, even though I was sceptical since I was competing against senior students, some of whom were in their final (fifth) year. Being chosen as a participant felt like a significant milestone in my academic and career journey,” she quipped.

Because of the pandemic, those shortlisted went through a virtual programme ranging from training to assessments to graduation. They studied and tackled projects, virtually, including a virtual tour of Huawei University.

By the time we caught up with her, Jebet and three students from Kenya were among other African participants who were feted after a one-week immersion into digital technology skills during the Mobile World Congress in China.

She emerged second in Huawei’s Africa digital content creation contest at an award ceremony conducted during Huawei’s LEAP (Leadership Employability Advancement Possibility) Summit held in Shanghai China.

“The Huawei Seeds for the Future programme was a transformative experience, packed with learning and growth opportunities. Visiting Huawei’s headquarters in China was an eye-opener,” she said.

„This exposure has given me valuable insights into the global ICT landscape and the practical applications of the technologies I was learning about.“ In an interview, Jebet said one of the unique aspects of the programme was the cultural immersion activities. She said learning about Chinese culture, history, and language broadened her perspective and taught her the importance of cross-cultural communication in today’s globalised world.

This experience, she notes, has made her more adaptable and open-minded. Jebet in her life never imagined that she would be on a global map as an emerging woman in science. When she interacted with computers, her mindset changed completely.

The firstborn in the family, Jebet schooled at Lions Primary School in Nakuru before joining Moi Girls High School in Eldoret for her secondary education.

“I am happy to have been among the first cohort to complete Huawei’s Seeds for Future programme. I am hopeful that the skills and knowledge I have acquired will help to improve agriculture in my home county of Uasin Gishu,” she said. She stated that the programme is not just about technical knowledge but also emphasizes the development of soft skills. Through various team projects and interactions, she has scaled up her leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, which she says, has made her more confident in her abilities.

 “Through this programme, I have realised the immense potential of ICT in driving innovation and solving real-world problems. I am grateful to Huawei for the opportunity and am committed to using what I have learned to drive technological innovation and make a positive impact and improve lives in my community and beyond,” she said.

Jebet now believes mechanised farms will play a key role in easing the burden of farming across the country. The 25-year-old said it is unfortunate that Kenya, especially the Rift Valley region prides itself in farming yet many farmers still rely on manual systems.

She said the ‘China’ experience has opened her eyes to how she can effectively deploy technology to mechanise farms.

Her sentiments are echoed by Huawei’s Kenya publicist Yujie Lengyu Yutta who said the Seeds for the Future program offers in-depth training on emerging technologies such as 5G, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Yutta said industry experts conduct the sessions and provide hands-on experience, which enhances students’ technical skills and understanding of these cutting-edge technologies.

The programme also offers students an opportunity to engage in global learning tours and cultural exchange, physically, at Huawei’s Headquarters in China.

The programme targets Africans in the Sub-Saharan region with 18,000 of them now trained in tech and practical skills. Yutta said Huawei targets to tap another 150,000 students across Sub-Sahara Africa.