Part one of our International Women’s Day series celebrating the voices of women at Zepz.
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a moment to celebrate the achievements of women around the world while recognising the work still needed to create more equal opportunities. This year’s theme “Give to Gain” highlighted the power of reciprocity: when individuals, organisations and communities invest in women, opportunities expand, systems grow stronger and societies thrive.
At Zepz, our mission centres around empowering communities and helping people support the ones they love across borders, so that spirit of shared progress resonates deeply. To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, we spoke with inspiring women across Zepz about their experiences, the moments that shaped them, and what it means to support and advocate for one another.
For many women at Zepz, this year’s theme really resonates as it reflects the role mentorship and shared learning have played throughout their careers. For Alice Zang, Senior Product Manager, “Give to Gain” is an important investment in the future. “To get to where we are today, we’ve all benefited from those that invested time and effort in coaching, teaching and advocating for us, so that we’ve been able to do more in our careers. So, by giving mentorship, opportunity to learn and the space to be heard, we continue to pay forward. And at the same time, I find that I always learn something in these conversations too – whether that’s a different perspective or an opportunity for deeper self reflection.”
That idea of paying it forward resonates strongly across Zepz. Product Director, Kerri Shilts, reflects on the importance of supporting the next generation of women. “For me, ‘Give to Gain’ is about the cycle of mentorship – reaching back as you climb up. I make it a priority to mentor several women, acting as a sounding board and providing the guidance I wish I’d had. But it goes beyond just advice. It’s about advocacy. ‘Giving’ means using your voice for those who might be afraid to speak up yet. When we give our courage and our platform to others, we gain a workplace culture that is safer and more empowered for everyone.”
Freda Groenewald, Director of Corporate Development, believes this kind of support creates momentum across entire organisations. “‘Give to Gain’ is also about the multiplier effect of support. The more we invest in each other, the more resilient and innovative our workplaces become.”
– Freda Groenewald, Director of Corporate Development
This idea can also extend beyond the workplace and into the opportunities we create for future generations. As Nika Naghavi, Director of Strategic Partnerships, outlines: “Throughout my career, I’ve been intentional about learning from strong, technically credible women. That guidance shaped how I think and how I lead. So now I try to pay that forward. But for me, it also goes beyond the workplace. One of my long-term ambitions is to build a foundation focused on female empowerment through technical education and upskilling. I want to help young women who don’t have the means or the opportunity to be able to build the systems that shape the future, not just navigate them. Because when you give women technical power early on, you don’t just change individual lives – you change who gets to design and define the future. And that’s powerful!”
Charity Shah, Vice President of Product, recalls a memorable moment in her career that came from something surprisingly simple – being in a meeting where women were no longer the minority. “I remember joining a virtual meeting and realizing that everyone on the call was a woman. I am so used to being one of the few women in the room, so this was a very nice surprise. To be in a meeting where we had a shared perspective – simply by virtue of being women in tech – felt incredible. I felt acknowledged and supported in a way I hadn’t expected. Every woman on that call had her own journey, and most had experienced being the ‘only woman’ at some point in her career.”
Moments like these highlight why spaces for recognition and connection matter. “I think that’s why International Women’s Day is so important,” Charity adds. “To have a day where we celebrate women and what they have achieved whether on a national, local or personal level. Last year, during International Women’s Day, I spent the day sending slacks to women who I admire to let them know how they inspire me to do better.”
For Freda, returning to work after maternity leave reshaped how she thought about achievement and resilience. “When I returned to work after having a baby, I came back with a completely different perspective – stronger, more empathetic, more focused – but if I’m honest, also lacking confidence and battling imposter syndrome. It made me more aware than ever of the invisible pressures women carry. I’ve realised how critical it is to actively celebrate women’s achievements – not just the visible milestones, but the resilience, trade-offs and unseen strength behind them.”
Nika’s perspective was shaped by a very different experience – one that also highlighted women’s contributions beyond corporate environments. “One moment that has stayed with me was during a field project I worked on in Ghana building economic identities for smallholder cocoa farmers – many of them were women. I remember standing in a rural farming community, speaking to women who were running farms, managing household finances, negotiating sales, and supporting entire families – yet many of them had no formal financial history, no digital footprint, and no recognised economic identity. On paper, they were invisible. In reality, they were driving their local economies.
“That experience shaped how I see International Women’s Day. For me, it’s not only about celebrating those visible in boardrooms and leadership roles. It’s about acknowledging the women whose contributions power economies and communities every day, often without formal recognition, titles or platforms.”
Together, these reflections highlight something powerful: when women support and advocate for one another, the impact extends far beyond individual careers. It shapes stronger teams, stronger organisations and stronger communities. In our next blog post, we’ll explore how that spirit of “Give to Gain” shapes leadership and hear how women across Zepz are opening doors for others.