Women Powering the Oppnergy Community: Meet Demgne Kamdem Syntyche
Community Spotlight | Women’s Month
Women in the Oppnergy community tend to share a common thread: they do not wait for permission to grow. Demgne Kamdem Syntyche is one of the clearest examples of that. She looked at a safe, comfortable path and chose a harder, more honest one instead. And she has not looked back since.
This Women’s Month, we are celebrating someone whose journey reads like a masterclass in bold decision-making. From walking away from a Master’s program to leading a design team at one of Cameroon’s most respected research institutions, Syntyche is the kind of person who turns risk into direction.
So, Who Is Syntyche?
Syntyche holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Software Engineering from the University of Bamenda. After completing her degree, she made a decision that many people in her position would have been afraid to make. She stepped away from a Master’s program to pursue hands-on, real-world experience in UI/UX design. Not because she gave up on growth, but because she understood what real growth actually required.
That decision led her to a two-month UI/UX internship at Zidio Development, where she worked on a messaging app and an e-commerce project. She earned her certification, built her skills, and kept moving. Today, she serves as a UI/UX Designer at PKFokam Research Center in Yaounde, where she has already risen from a junior role to leading major projects and heading the design team.
One of those projects is the New Internet Banking Platform for Afriland First Bank South Sudan, a real, high-stakes product that puts her work in front of real users. That is not a small thing for someone still early in their career. That is evidence of what happens when talent meets courage.
What Women in the Oppnergy Community Do Differently
Syntyche serves as both Coordinator and Mentor at Oppnergy. You can find her story on the Oppnauts page, but what that page cannot fully capture is the consistency she brings to the community behind the scenes.
Her contributions to Oppnergy span the kind of work that does not always get applause but always makes a difference:
- Shows up for Oppnauts as a steady, reliable guide, helping members work through the Level 1 program with real support and honest feedback
- Played an active role in the Bamenda Community Challenge, contributing her time and expertise to grow the community
- Involved in WomenTechmakers (WTM) Bamenda and Bambili, including hands-on UI/UX sessions at IWD 2024 events
- Participated in the Green Hack Bamenda hackathon, bringing her design thinking into collaborative problem-solving
- Collaborates with Her Blueprint Africa in Yaounde, extending her reach into women’s empowerment beyond Oppnergy
What stands out is not just the list of things she does. It is the reason she does them. Syntyche has spoken openly about how mentorship shaped her own journey, and she gives back with that same intentionality.
How Syntyche Built Her Career Step by Step
Career growth rarely follows a straight line, and Syntyche’s story proves that the detours are often where the real learning happens. Rather than following the expected route, she relocated to a new city alone, took on an internship from scratch, and backed herself when there was no guarantee it would work out.
That kind of boldness is something the women in the Oppnergy community understand deeply. It takes courage to choose growth over comfort, especially when the path is new and the outcome is uncertain. Syntyche made that choice, and her career now reflects it clearly.
Since joining PKFokam, she has continued stacking skills alongside her day-to-day work. Her certifications include training in design accessibility, design thinking, prompt engineering for AI, and prototyping through programs like the 30-Day UX Thrive Challenge. She explores interactive hover effects, participates in CodeSignal’s LLM and AI tracks, and actively upskills because she believes that staying current is part of the job. You can follow her journey on her LinkedIn.
Women in the Oppnergy Community Changing the Numbers
Syntyche is not just building her own career. She is part of a larger effort to shift what is possible for women in African tech, and the numbers make clear why that work is so necessary.
According to UNDP Africa, women hold fewer than 30% of tech and STEM roles across Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, McKinsey research shows that fewer than 12% of tech leadership positions on the continent are filled by women. In addition, UN Women recognises Women’s Month as a time to honour those who are actively changing those numbers in their communities. Syntyche is doing exactly that.
Through her work at WomenTechmakers, Her Blueprint Africa, and Oppnergy, she is consistently showing up in the spaces where young women in Cameroon need to see themselves represented. Consequently, her impact reaches far beyond any single project or job title.
Growth, Risk and the Courage to Lead
There is something specific that sets Syntyche apart within the women in the Oppnergy community, and it is this: she talks about risk honestly. She does not make her journey look effortless or inevitable. She acknowledges the hard calls, the uncertainty, and the moments where she had to trust herself before anyone else did.
That honesty is rare and it is powerful. For the young women she mentors, watching someone like Syntyche lead with both vulnerability and excellence gives them a version of success they can actually relate to and reach for.
To understand the values and vision behind the community she helps lead, the Oppnergy About page gives the full picture. And if you want to explore what the learning journey actually looks like for members, the Level 1 program page is a great place to start.
To Syntyche, From the Oppnergy Community with Gratitude 🌟
Women in the Oppnergy community make this program what it is, and Syntyche is one of the people at the heart of that. She stepped into this community not just as a participant but as someone who genuinely invests in others.
We are grateful for a mentor who gives real guidance. A coordinator who works even when no one is watching. A designer who brings her full professional excellence into every space she occupies, including this one.
Syntyche, Oppnergy is better because of you. The Oppnauts you have guided are better because of you. And the young women in Cameroon who see your story and dare to take their own bold steps? They are better because of you too.
We see you. We are proud of you. And we are honoured to call you one of ours.
Here is to bold decisions, quiet dedication, and everything still ahead. Here is to you, Syntyche. ⚡️🌟
Connect with Syntyche directly on her LinkedIn and follow her UI/UX and career journey.
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