In various fields and industries, there are individuals who work behind the scenes to make things happen. In this article, we spotlight the women driving Watu Credit’s success in key areas such as logistics, customer care, technology, business growth, and procurement, among others.
Nivah Shihemi – Operations & Strategy Executive – Watu Credit
What strategies have helped you shatter gender-based barriers to excel in a mostly male-dominated field like Watu Credit?
Breaking gender barriers has required a mix of courage, strategy, and relentless focus on value creation. At Watu Credit, and throughout my career, I have prioritized performance and impact as my strongest advocates. I have learned to lead with data, results, and a strategic vision, proving time and again that operational excellence and innovation are not gender-specific traits.
One game changer has been leveraging technology and scalable systems to drive efficiency. For instance, at Watu, I led the expansion of back office operations into seven African countries by adapting technical integrations to local market needs. This not only demonstrated capability but also positioned our operations for long-term growth.
Equally important has been mastering the art of difficult conversations, asserting my voice, holding teams accountable, and embracing direct yet compassionate leadership. I have learned that being clear, fair, and bold earns respect, even in rooms that weren’t initially built for you.
How do you ensure social impact to go hand in hand with business growth and profitability at Watu Credit?
For me, social impact is not an afterthought, it is integrated into the core business model. At Watu, we are not just financing assets, we enable mobility, access to connectivity, and opportunity for underserved communities. Scaling operations isn’t just about numbers but about making services more accessible, more efficient, and more human-centered.
I continuously assess how our strategies affect real people. Whether it is improving customer service delivery with fewer resources through smarter tech, or optimizing workforce allocation to enhance both team well-being and customer experience, the aim is clear- sustainable growth that uplifts communities.
This balance was also evident in my previous role at EarthEnable, where I led the Female Mason Program to surpass impact targets while achieving operational and financial milestones. Social impact and profitability can and must coexist, it just takes intentional leadership.
You’ve spoken about overcoming fears and embracing the unknown in your career. What advice would you give to young professionals, especially women, who struggle with self-doubt in leadership?
Start before you feel ready. I have faced imposter syndrome, tough transitions, and high-stake roles that seemed intimidating at first, but confidence isn’t a prerequisite, it is a result. You build it through action, through showing up even when you’re scared.
My advice to young professionals, especially women, is that discomfort is often the sign that you’re growing. Say yes to opportunities that stretch you. Surround yourself with mentors and champions. Most importantly, remember that leadership is not about having all the answers but about having the courage to find them, bring others along, and lead with empathy.
You are more capable than your fear lets you believe. Lean into that truth and don’t be afraid to take up space.
Stephanie Wakesho – Customer Engagement Supervisor – Watu Credit
As a Customer Engagement Supervisor, what strategies do you use to make your team stand out, and how do you handle difficult customer interactions?
I am all about transforming challenges into exciting opportunities. I empower my team through continuous training and reference manuals, ensuring they’re always on top of product knowledge, customer service, and conflict resolution. By leading with empathy, professionalism, and patience, I set the tone for my team to mirror these qualities.
Collaboration is key, I foster a supportive environment where team members quickly share challenges, tips, and advice, creating a dynamic, problem-solving culture. We celebrate every win, recognize outstanding performance, and highlight improvements, keeping morale high and fueling our collective drive for excellence.
When it comes to tough customer interactions, we stay calm, empathetic, and solution-driven, always ensuring a positive outcome. With a strong escalation process in place, we face every challenge with confidence, transforming obstacles into loyalty-building opportunities. This isn’t just customer service, it’s customer engagement at its best!
You’ve mentioned creativity in your work. How do you and your team leverage this to enhance customer engagement?
I’m a lover of art, and I believe creativity is a powerful tool in customer engagement. We use it to make everything from training to internal interactions more exciting and impactful. To keep training engaging and memorable, we’ve developed artistic, visually captivating manuals and portals that are anything but boring. These creative resources make learning not only effective but also enjoyable. This content ensures our team absorbs and retains information effortlessly.
By keeping training exciting and memorable, we empower our team to resolve customer issues faster and more effectively, often on the first contact. Work doesn’t have to be dull, creativity fosters lasting memories and drives results.
How would you say the comfort zone lags people behind, and are you able to point to a moment or experience in your life that shaped your confidence as a young leader in customer service?
Well, comfort zones can be a silent barrier to growth. While it feels safe and familiar, it can actually keep us stuck. When we stay within our comfort zones, we avoid challenges, missing out on new experiences that foster growth. It’s easy to settle into what’s comfortable, but true progress happens when we step into the unknown. By breaking free from that safe space, we embrace opportunities, build resilience, and discover strengths we didn’t know we had.
One experience that truly shaped my confidence as a young leader happened during a power fault when we didn’t have a customer care manager. Everyone was being evacuated from the building. With calls still streaming in and our answer rate dropping fast, I just had to think instead of panicking. Teamed up with other departments to set up systems to manage the calls and guided the team. That moment taught me the power of good work relations, calm leadership, creative problem-solving, and clear communication under pressure. It not only saved the day but also solidified my belief that no matter the challenge or position, you can always lead with confidence and find a way to turn things around.
Joyce Wiki – Watu Credit
You seem to have quite a journey, spanning logistics, procurement, debt collection, and customer service. How has this diverse experience shaped your approach to problem-solving and leadership?
My career has been a journey across procurement, logistics, debt collection, and customer service, each role shaping me into a well-rounded individual. At Cicada Holdings, I learned the art of negotiation, vendor management, and cost optimization. At Watu Credit, I honed my ability to listen to customer pain points and turn insights into strategic improvements. These experiences have strengthened my problem-solving skills, I don’t just look at an issue from one angle; I analyze it from financial, operational, and customer perspectives.
In leadership, I value integrity, collaboration, and mentorship. I’ve guided team members in procurement and assisted follow-up officers with customer engagement and all client-facing teams, ensuring efficiency while fostering a supportive environment. My faith plays a big role in how I work. I believe in ethical decision-making, fairness, and always striving for excellence with honesty. Whether it’s negotiating contracts or resolving customer concerns, I approach every challenge with diligence and a commitment to doing what’s right.
How do you stay efficient in your career even in the face of low vision? Do you need any assistive technologies or innovative strategies to excel in your career despite the challenges?
Efficiency for me is a balance of preparation, technology, adaptability, and the right support system. Living with low vision means I’ve had to be intentional and creative about how I work. I rely on a combination of tools, including multiple specialized spectacles; readers with anti-glare, sunglasses with prescription lenses, and daily bifocals; a wallet magnifier for quick access to details like prices and expiry dates while shopping, and screen magnifiers and voice-to-text software for digital tasks.
Beyond assistive tools, advocacy and workplace support have been game-changers. Initially, I struggled with hiding my needs, fearing it might affect my opportunities. But over time, I learned that being upfront about my accessibility requirements is not a weakness; it’s a strength. Transparency has helped me work efficiently, and I deeply appreciate Watu for embracing accessibility and creating an environment where I can thrive. Their willingness to accommodate my needs has allowed me to focus on what truly matters, which is driving customer satisfaction.
More than anything, my faith keeps me going. I believe that every challenge has a purpose, and God has given me the resilience and wisdom to turn obstacles into opportunities. While accessibility remains a challenge in many spaces, I choose to focus on solutions, advocating for inclusivity and proving that vision limitations don’t define capability.
As you pursue a finance degree and aim for a strategic role, how do you envision integrating your expertise in finance, operations, and customer
I believe in balancing efficiency, transparency, and customer-centric solutions. Finance ensures sustainability, but numbers alone don’t drive success how we allocate resources, streamline operations, and enhance customer interactions matters just as much.
I approach decision-making by analyzing financial data to optimize costs, ensuring that resources are used effectively without compromising quality or fairness. In operations, I emphasize efficiency and accountability, making sure processes are structured yet adaptable to meet both business and customer needs. When it comes to customer experience, I believe in listening, understanding pain points, and implementing solutions that genuinely add value, not just meet targets.
Above all, I hold dearly honesty, fairness, and responsibility, ensuring that every decision I make supports both business growth and positive customer outcomes. It’s about creating a system where financial health, operational excellence, and strong customer relationships work together seamlessly.
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