Effie Njoki: From Graphic designer to Software Engineer
Effie's journey from graphic designer to backend developer is a powerful testament to the strength of determination, passion and how technology can be used to reshape the world.
In a world where technology often seems dominated by men, Effie's story shines brightly as a tale of determination, resilience, and the pursuit of one's dreams against all odds. Effie, a former graphic designer turned backend developer, is a source of inspiration for women in tech everywhere.
Effie's journey began in November 2022 while she was working in graphic design and animation. Her love for creating animations led her to explore ways to make the process faster and more efficient. This exploration introduced her to coding—using scripts to automate tasks that once took hours.
"I didn't know much about coding at first," Effie recalls. "But I saw how it could automate tasks and make creative work easier."
Driven by curiosity, Effie began learning to code during her lunch breaks, devouring online tutorials. Her passion for learning eventually led her to ALX, a tech education program, where she immersed herself in programming challenges.
"The beginning was tough," she admits. "From mastering C-programming to navigating Python and DevOps, each step was a new challenge."
Despite initial setbacks, Effie remained determined to pursue backend development—a field less explored by those from a graphics background. Her determination to achieve her dreams was her driving force, leading her to quit her job just to focus on her goals.
"After starting with frontend development, I realized I wanted more," she reflects. "I wanted to understand the deeper mechanics that make apps work seamlessly."
Effie's breakthrough came when she chose to specialize in backend development, even though she initially fell behind her peers. Her specialization project became a defining moment—a culmination of 15 months of hard work during which she developed a groundbreaking solution for efficient app deployment and management.
"For my project, I aimed to ensure apps not only function but thrive globally," she explains enthusiastically.
Effie's solution involved containerization, deploying apps on AWS cloud, and automating processes with Terraform—an approach that ensured apps could scale, stay secure, and reach users worldwide within minutes.
"In a few clicks, any app could be set up and managed efficiently," Effie elaborates. "It's about making technology accessible and robust for everyone."
Today, Effie stands as a role model for women in tech, proving that with determination and perseverance, any dream is achievable.
In a world where dreams meet determination, Effie desires to see coding integrated into the early learning curriculum. She believes that if she had known these skills earlier, she would have been unstoppable. She hopes to enable the next generation to acquire these skills early in life, empowering them to turn their dreams into reality.
You can keep in touch with Effie via Twitter.