Building Systems That Serve People With Integrity.

by Raissa, Member of the Girl Rising Girls Advisory Council

Life often happens in bits, each one working quietly with the others to shape an identity, a creative, or a narrative steeped in uncertainty. Every bit is a fragment of a larger puzzle, carrying its own memory, belonging first to itself. Twenty years have slowly drifted down memory lane, from ignorance to experience. Every fight, fright, and flight felt like a rehearsal for the woman I am becoming.

Little Raissa was brave, enthusiastic, and well-mannered. Wrapped in mystery and a playful sense of curiosity, I found myself excelling wherever my tender palms landed, across art, science, and culture. Even then, my inner verdict was clear: to lead, and to serve with love.

The teenage years arrived like a swelling tide, heavy with pressure, transformation, and questions of identity. Yet those rollercoaster years refined my virtues rather than eroding them. From volunteering for girls’ rights to gripping the intimidating claws of engineering, I lived, learned, laughed, and yes, I cried for help when the weight became too much. Each moment left a mark, shaping resilience where fear once lived.

In my quest for knowledge, a hunger that stretches far beyond basic understanding, I found myself drawn to the pulse of technology and its power to protect, connect, and transform societies. That curiosity led me into Computer Engineering, a space where logic meets imagination. As a final year student, a member of the Girl Rising Council, and a GirlForce volunteer, my interests have steadily leaned toward cybersecurity and computer networks. I am fascinated by how invisible systems guard visible lives, how networks whisper across continents, and how security stands as both shield and responsibility. Engineering, for me, is not just about machines or code; it is about safeguarding trust in a digital world and building systems that serve people with integrity.

 “I chose engineering not just to build systems, but to protect them; to stand at the intersection of networks, security, and purpose, where technology becomes a promise rather than a threat.”