Andreattah Chuma-IT girl in Brussels

Local poetess ANDREATTAH CHUMA narrates her experiences as an IT auditor in Brussels in an interview with YVONNE MOOKA. They say how you speak of Brussels reveals whom you hang out with and the places you go. It may sound snobbish but this is because Brussels is made up of so many worlds cramped in an area the size of Gaborone. The Brussels I live in currently has balconies draped in different European flags pledging allegiance to the motherland during this Euro2016 cup. There is Brussels the seat of the European Union, NATO, think tanks, lobbyists in all their flavours and the beating heart of the Brexit referendum. Last year I participated in the African Diaspora Network Europe debate with Members of European Parliament in Strasbourg. International news has been showing more of the Brussels that grapples with radicalisation; where army trucks and soldiers have come to look like an installation. There is also Brussels the big conference room where thousands of summits, workshops, talks are held each year, most of them free. As a constant learner and a shameless bargain hunter, I love this part of Brussels! This is the city where I have been working as an IT Auditor since 2012 at Euroclear - world’s   largest international central securities depository and cross-border settlement provider. I am also a certified fraud examiner and have been representing Internal Audit at the group-wide fraud forum. An intriguing space during these times of increased cybercrime. Brussels has given me a front row view of regulation formulation and its impact in the Tech space especially with Africa in mind. As a member of the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Brussels, engaging with young policy makers has shaped my view on being an influencer. This September I start a new journey as a part-time student with University of Strathclyde studying LLM in IT and Telecommunications Law. In 2013, I founded Tech Talk sessions, aimed at connecting industry and university students in Botswana on emerging topics and their role in policy making. I have also taken a step to mentor tech girls while based in Brussels. I came to Brussels as just an IT auditor. I am thankful to God for planting a seed for all the opportunities and certainly holding me up during the stormy times.