WomenInTech. "The main challenge for women in IT is the lack of time," say girls from Tajikistan about obstacles in IT

Tamanno Mavlonova, city — Dushanbe, middle backend developer, Linkedin

About me

I am a middle backend developer at Alif Tech LLC. I have been working in the IT field for over six years. I specialize in writing code in the Go language, which I use to create and maintain the server-side of applications. My main task is ensuring the stability, security, and high performance of systems that help businesses grow and reach new heights. For me, every line of code is not just text, but a tool for creating reliable and efficient solutions.

I graduated from Kazan Federal University and received a degree in computer science. Upon returning to my homeland, I only had theoretical knowledge in my field. I tried twice to get a job as a programmer at the young and rapidly developing Alif Tech. Unfortunately, I was unable to successfully pass all stages of the selection process. Then I decided to start with the position of a front-office consultant. After gaining sufficient skills, I quickly moved into the IT field as a project manager.

How I entered the IT field

Working at Alif was particularly interesting because the company has a huge team of developers, and I participated in projects such as CRM, Alif mobi, Alif Business, and PRM (Partner Relationship Management). As a result, I worked as an IT project manager for three and a half years.

When I worked as a manager and interacted with developers, I wrote detailed technical specifications and tried to deeply understand the technical aspects of each product. Over time, this strengthened my love for development, and the thought of becoming a developer never left me.

The choice was not easy, as I had already achieved a certain level of success as a Project Manager.

I had to leave everything behind and start my career from scratch, giving up many things and focusing on development. Combining a new profession, family, and home required immense effort and stress resistance. The support of relatives and loved ones, as well as training at "Alif Academy," played a decisive role in helping me overcome all difficulties and achieve my goals. Thus, I have been working as a developer for over two years now, which I am immensely happy about.

About stereotypes

I have been lucky in my career path and have not encountered stereotypes related to being a woman in IT. I have always believed that success in this field depends on knowledge, skills, and hard work, not on gender.

Instead of focusing on any biased opinions, I concentrated on goals and the desire for professional growth. My work in a team that values abilities and ideas allowed me to develop and achieve success, and I hope this will inspire others to follow their path without paying attention to possible prejudices.

I believe that by overcoming challenges and achieving results, we can change the perception of women in the technical field and show that there is a place for everyone in IT, regardless of gender.

Obstacles for women in IT

Women are weaker than men in the IT field. In our daily work routine, we women bring color with our jokes, motivation, and enthusiasm. Guys sometimes cannot find a way out of a situation without us, and we help them.

I always wanted my son to one day say: "Mom, how did you manage to take care of the house and me, and also become a successful programmer?" And I would tell him: "I am a magician."

Recommendations for those just starting their journey

Focus on acquiring knowledge and experience — everything else will come with time.

Do not give up — difficulties are inevitable at the beginning. Remember that the key to success lies in diligence and resilience.

Do not be afraid of change — it can change your life forever.

For a girl who works all day and has a family life, changing professions is not an easy decision. I am glad and proud that I did not give up and made my choice. I consider it correct, as there are so many interesting topics ahead to master, and my goal is to become one of the best developers. I wish this to everyone who dares to make changes.

Farahnush Nazárova, city — Dushanbe, IT project manager, Instagram

About me

Currently, I work in an IT company that we created together with two other programmers. Since our team is small and we are just starting to expand, I have to combine several roles: IT project manager, tester, and even a little bit of a designer. Over the past few months, we have successfully implemented two projects and are already finishing the third — an electronic queue program for a medical center in Dushanbe.

I also run my own culinary blog on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

My professional career began in the banking sector, where I spent about 10 years working in various fields — from operational activities to compliance. I managed to work in three different banks: "Kazkommertsbank," "Halyk Bank Tajikistan," and "Alif Bank" in Tajikistan. Over these years, I gained a huge amount of experience that still helps me today. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who played a role in shaping my professional skills.

How I entered the IT field

My path into the IT field began even at university, as I am a programmer by education. I graduated from the Russian-Tajik (Slavic) University with a degree in "Applied Informatics in Economics," but fate led me to the banking sector, where I stayed for several years.

In late 2021, I decided to radically change my career and start studying backend programming. I could not simply quit my job and go for an internship due to financial constraints. Therefore, for seven months, I worked at the bank from 08:00 to 17:00, and then from 18:00 I attended courses at "Alif Academy," where I studied the PHP programming language. I successfully completed two courses — for beginners and advanced students, defending final projects for each of them.

After completing the courses, I was offered to take a technical interview at my bank, and as a result, I was placed at the junior 1 level. I was incredibly happy that I would soon start my career as a programmer, but the joy was short-lived. Two days before the transition, I was notified that they could not hire me as a junior — only as an intern. No one was able to explain why such a decision was made. To say I was upset is an understatement. I had a mild depression.

Eventually, I was offered another position in the IT department — as an access protection specialist. I agreed because I loved and respected my colleagues immensely. I was comfortable. In this position, I worked for a little less than a year, but I decided it was time to move on and left the bank.

Then I got a job as an IT project manager at an IT company, and from that moment my professional career in this field began. I was lucky to have a wonderful team, thanks to which my experience grew significantly. Moreover, the knowledge gained during my training as a backend developer proved useful. Today, I can confidently lead projects of any complexity from start to successful completion.

The most surprising thing is that I am immensely grateful that I was not accepted for the junior position at the bank. During my "mild depression," I unexpectedly discovered a love for cooking and started a culinary blog. At the same time, I found the profession of IT project manager and realized that this is exactly what I want to do.

About stereotypes

The main stereotype I encountered was not only "a girl in IT" but also my age. Many did not believe that by the age of 30, especially for a woman, it was possible to radically change career paths and enter IT. Therefore, for me, this was primarily a challenge to myself — to prove that I could cope and become an IT specialist despite all obstacles.

Obstacles for women in IT

I can confidently say that the main difficulty for a girl in IT is the lack of time. It is important to dedicate a lot of time to practice and constantly engage in self-education, as the IT field is developing rapidly, and what you learned today may become irrelevant tomorrow.

Unfortunately, women in our society have much less free time. In addition to work, they often bear the responsibilities of home, family, and children, as well as the need to take care of themselves, various procedures, and salons. As a result, very little time remains for self-education.

The Scrum methodology helped me in this regard, which I recommend to everyone, regardless of their field of activity. I started breaking all tasks into individual to-dos and setting sprints for each: from cleaning and workouts to projects, blog management, and self-development.

Another key point is the support of loved ones. I am incredibly grateful to my mother for always being by my side and believing in me in all my endeavors. Without this support, any path becomes twice as difficult.

Recommendations for those just starting their journey

At the beginning of my path, I often heard motivational advice like "the main thing is to start." However, my experience taught me that it is important not just to start, but to keep moving forward despite any difficulties and obstacles.