STEM Her
In many underserved African communities, girls encounter significant obstacles to entering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, which limits their career prospects and exacerbates the gender gap. Stem Her tackles this challenge by focusing on public secondary schools in Nigeria, providing girls with essential digital skills, and exposing them to a wide range of STEM opportunities. The program’s goal is to ignite and sustain their interest in STEM careers, leading to a more inclusive and innovative future.
STEM Her implements STEM-focused educational programs and creates mentorship opportunities with female STEM professionals. To support the education of girls, the program offers financial assistance through scholarships and grants to girls pursuing STEM education in public secondary schools. Also, selected girls will take on roles as Digital Advocates, running STEM Clubs in their schools to further encourage and support STEM education among their peers.
The program which is being implemented in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Secondary Education Board also comprises a tailored curriculum developed by Tech Herfrica that teaches fundamental digital skills and supports the running of STEM Clubs. It involves collaboration with schools and the active participation of Digital Advocates.
Success will be measured by the increased interest and enrollment of girls in STEM classes. The long-term impacts include a greater representation of girls in STEM fields, enhanced economic empowerment, and overall socio-economic development, fostering diversity, innovation, and a better quality of life in these communities.