Female Students At The Forefront of STEM Transformation

In the male-dominated fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), we are committed to ensuring that our female students are empowered with increased access to STEM courses and training at Honoris institutions across the continent. For two consecutive years, we are proud to have achieved a female majority of 51% in our student body, with 41% female participation in STEM.
Two of our incredible female STEM students share what inspired them to pursue STEM degrees.

Vahyalajah Eunice Kwaji, Nile University of Nigeria, Nigeria

Having spent four of a five-year STEM degree programme at the Nile University of Nigeria, Vahyalajah Eunice Kwaji is one among a growing number of female students and women making giant strides in the field of STEM and championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education.

Ms. Kwaji, the only female student-delegate from Nigeria at the just-concluded International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC2023) in Bangkok, Thailand, tells us what inspired her choice of a course in STEM. “My fascination with physics and mathematics, as well as the ways in which mathematical knowledge can be put to use to address problems in the real world, was the driving force behind my desire to pursue an education in a STEM field.”

“There is always something new and interesting every day and the ability for STEM majors to move along with innovations in the STEM industry to solve societal problems, was also what drove me to study a STEM course. I believe giving women equal opportunities to pursue and thrive in STEM careers will bridge the gender gap in the workplace, enhances women’s economic security, and ensures a diverse and talented workforce that breaks the biases in STEM fields.”

Soukayna Mayara, EMSI, Morocco

As a Computer Science Student at EMSI in Morocco, Soukayna Mayara is passionate about how increasing diversity in STEM fields can lead to a bigger and better variety of perspectives, experiences, and solutions.

Why did you choose to study STEM?

“Born and raised in Laayoune city, my passion for STEM started with loving Mathematics first, combined with the urge to become an engineer of course, and by growing up, I started noticing how technology can be the greatest factor to help me quench my thirst for STEM, therefore, I started analyzing my city, my country, my continent and my world in order to employ my passion for STEM to have an impact on them, and that was the reason to proceed in my journey of learning and integrate college to specialize in a STEM related field, to be always close to it, and because of that I discovered how we can utilize energies and electronics combined with AI in order to help with predicting the energy consumption which can be quite helpful with managing natural resources in order to help with the climate change, which was the subject of my latest projects of AI, so it wasn’t only the passion , it was also my will to impact my world, as well as the personal growth that I’m achieving day after day and the several soft skills I’m gaining such as problem solving and critical thinking, not denying of course the market demand of STEM profiles that keep increasing day after day. The world needs us to revive it.”

Why do you think it’s important for women to be more involved in the STEM industry?

“Due to the gender gap that we can’t rebut in the STEM fields, I assume that we as women are really needed in order to increase diversity and representation in these domains, we certainly need to challenge the pervasive stereotype and prove that women can succeed in traditionally male-dominated fields. Accordingly, we should encourage more females to study and work in STEM-related domains so that the inclusivity can be more escalated, which will bring us a variety of perspectives and experiences, and consequently lead to better innovation and problem-solving, so let’s work our fingers to the bone to make this happen and dream of a better world where both genders are using all their skills to save and make a better world. It’s now or never.”