Mentorship & Learning Shaping the Future of Work for Women

By: Shaleenah Marie, Chairperson, Siemens African Leadership Organisation of Women

Shaleenah Marie is a multi-award-winning mentor and coach dedicated to advancing women’s empowerment across Africa. She leads transformative initiatives, including UN Women’s African Girls Can Code and the Empower HER & Allies Mentorship movement, championing innovation, confidence, and lifelong learning for the next generation of African women leaders.

In an exclusive interview with Charulatha M, Senior Correspondent at  Women Entrepreneurs Review International Magazine,Shaleenah shares her views on how mentorship and learning are shaping the future of work for African women.

To learn more about her leadership perspectives, and thoughts, read the full article below.

In Sub-Saharan Africa’s diverse cultural landscape, how do you see learning &development and mentorship empowering women?

Learning and development give women the technical and leadership skills to thrive, but mentorship transforms those skills into confidence and agency. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where cultural norms often dictate women’s roles, mentorship creates safe spaces for dialogue, role modeling, and advocacy. It bridges the gap between knowledge and action, helping women navigate systemic barriers and step into leadership with authenticity. When mentorship is embedded in L&D, empowerment becomes sustainable because it’s rooted in relationships, not just training.

You often speak about leadership as a mindset, not a title. How do you use mentorship to help women translate leadership theories into everyday action?

Through mentorship, we transform leadership theory into lived experience. It’s about breaking big ideas into actionable steps speaking up in meetings, negotiating for equitable opportunities, and building networks of influence. We guide mentees to practice visibility and self-advocacy while staying anchored in their values.

We emphasize that everyone has skills, knowledge, and a story that can drive change and empower others. Leadership is not about waiting for permission; it’s about using what you have, where you are, to create impact that ripples beyond the individual into teams, organizations, and society.

Initiatives like African Girls Can Code build technical skills, but you emphasize confidence and agency. How does mentorship within these programs shift mindsets and position young women as future tech leaders?

Mentorship turns coding into a leadership journey. We partner girls with role models who look like them and have walked similar paths. This representation dismantles stereotypes and builds belief: “If she can, so can I.” Beyond technical skills, mentors guide girls in storytelling, networking, and personal branding, skills that position them as innovators, not just coders. The result? Girls don’t just learn to code; they learn to lead.

How can mentorship serve as a practical lever to embed belonging into a company’s long-term culture?

When leaders mentor across gender, culture, and generations, they model inclusion in action. Mentorship creates trust, breaks silos, and amplifies voices that are often overlooked, embedding belonging into the DNA of the organization. It’s not a once-off initiative; it’s a cultural shift powered by human connection.

Peer mentorship often creates ripple effects. Could you share a story where these circles sparked a chain reaction of empowerment across teams or communities?

Our mentees didn’t just benefit from mentorship, they became mentors themselves. Today, they lead EmpowerHER & Allies Peer Mentorship Circles, creating spaces for shared learning. These circles have become incubators for confidence and collaboration, where women exchange strategies, amplify each other’s voices, and build networks of influence. What started as a single mentorship relationship has evolved into a movement, proof that peer mentorship multiplies impact far beyond the individual.

If you were to reimagine the future of work in Africa through a woman-centered lens, how would you integrate mentorship into leadership development to drive bold, systemic change?

I would create cross-industry mentorship networks to democratize access to education, leadership, and opportunity, ensuring that every woman, regardless of background, has a pathway to influence and impact.

What advice would you give to women who want to lead with impact and use mentorship as a tool to create real change in their fields?

Start where you are. Leadership is a mindset, not a title.

Seek and offer mentorship. It’s a two-way street that accelerates growth.

Be visible and vocal. Silence sustains inequality.

Lead with purpose, not position. Impact comes from intention, not hierarchy.

And remember: You are a leader now. Don’t wait for permission. Step into your power and bring others with you