Jennifer reminds women that to succeed they must uplift others

Dar es Salaam. Jennifer Kajuna is a senior manager at the KPMG East Africa, Tanzania office. She attributes her current success to a combination of self-discipline, self-awareness, continuous learning, personal development, and valuable mentorship experiences.

She said that obstacles were certain to arise on her path to success, but she persevered, guided by faith, focus, perseverance, and resilience.

"Even in my darkest moments, the confidence of others kept me going," she remarked.

She calls on women to invest in themselves and resist complacency, encouraging them to embrace boldness and reject the allure of staying within their comfort zones. 

“Let us step out of our comfort zones and shine with the light that God has placed within us. As rising women, let us remember that we ascend by uplifting others,” she stresses.

The theme for International Women’s Day this year underscores the importance of inclusion and investment in women as catalysts for accelerating progress.

Given this, she says, women must be proactive and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

Explaining her career, she says she is a certified auditor by profession, responsible for managing teams and executing Audit and Assurance engagements.

She says her work involves adding value to clients.

“I ensure their compliance with self-imposed controls and regulations set by their regulators. Among other tasks, I audit their financial information to reasonably ascertain freedom from material errors and omissions,” she says.

She explained further by saying that within the firm, she has held various roles beyond audit engagements, including overseeing firm-wide strategy execution and serving as a liaison for audit quality inspections across East Africa.

She says her journey began over 13 years ago as an audit associate. After graduating from the University of Dar es Salaam, she pursued a Master’s degree in Business Administration at the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (Esami) while simultaneously working.

“My aspiration to pursue a career in auditing was sparked during my secondary school years, inspired by an article I came across in "The Accountant" newsletter, authored by a young lady,” she said.

According to her, it took self-discipline, self-awareness, learning, development, and mentorship for her to reach her current level of growth. She explained that while awaiting her Form Four results, she sat for the Accounting Technician (ATEC) exams and successfully passed.

She attributes her mother with fueling her ambition as a young woman and motivating her to enrol in the ATEC exams.

“As I advanced to my Advanced Level studies, I encountered the dilemma of whether to solely focus on my A-level studies or concurrently pursue the Accounting Technician exams. Opting for the latter, I embarked on a balancing act, attending high school during the day and dedicating evenings to accounting exam preparations,” she said.

She notes that she subsequently passed the ATEC II exam and even received an award for one of the exams, which served as a significant motivator.

Despite the challenges, such as the disappointment of not receiving further awards and the emotional toll of failing a paper during her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exams, she was undeterred and continued with the dual curriculum into university, completing both her Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce (Corporate Finance) and the CPA exams.

She emphasised that her journey reinforced her belief that it was not a matter of coincidence but a deliberate choice she made, fully comprehending the challenges inherent in the path and committing herself to surmounting them. “Indeed, challenges are inevitable, yet I perceive them as valuable stepping stones towards a brighter future. They serve as a yardstick for measuring success,” she said.

She encourages fellow women to prioritise self-investment, recognising that self-care is not selfish but essential for sustained success.

“Understanding our purpose (the why) is crucial, as it propels us towards our goals. Conscientiously carrying ourselves can inspire others and manifest our aspirations,” she says. 

She adds: “Understanding our ‘why’ empowers us to navigate the means towards our desired ends. As we progress in our careers, let us remain mindful that our actions may inspire others, urging them to pursue their dreams,” she says.

She explains that family is the backbone of her career growth, especially as she had to put in extra hours for prolonged periods, but her parents were there to support her. 

“Even after becoming a wife, with many roles and responsibilities, I continued to get unmatched support from my husband and the entire family.

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Juggling family and work could be tricky, and in all honesty, it is hard to strike a balance, but we put in the effort anyway,” she says.

She says that the nature of her role is that there are usually peak and slack seasons and that when it is peak season, she puts proper structures in place to ensure that her family is well taken care of and her office tasks are also timely and properly accomplished.

“When it is slack season, I properly utilise all the time I can have to be with my family and catch up with myself. It is, however, worth noting that even in the peak season, I usually create time for family and social life; it takes prioritising and sacrificing determination and resilience,” she said.