For a very long time, STEM has been regarded as a masculine field, leaving female interests on the sidelines. This stereotype has discouraged many girls from exploring and pursuing the diverse potentials and opportunities in STEM fields. However, today, Molex Foundation Africa, through the SHEROES in STEM initiative, is on a significant mission to empower young African girls to overcome barriers and achieve excellence in STEM fields.

The second Cohort of the SHEROES in STEM initiative bootcamp came off at the University of Cape Coast. The event saw about 60 girls participating in the boot camp.

Ivy Beauty Amartey, the executive president of Molex Foundation Africa, noted that the initiative has come to stay, and measures have been instituted to ensure this.

“To ensure the sustainability of this programme, every girl will be assigned to a mentor who will continue to guide and coach her, in collaboration with the guidance and counselling coordinator, teachers, and the caregivers or parents, so, they can pursue their preferred careers in STEM.”

She added that, “We are looking at establishing STEM clubs in schools, and to train the teachers, specifically Math and Science teachers, so they can continue to train these girls when they finish the camping. All these align with sustainable development goals four (quality education), five (gender equality) and nine (innovation, infrastructure and industry).”

She emphasised that the foundation is aiming at training girls with vision, ones who will take up responsibilities, bridge the gender gap and are ready to overcome social and cultural barriers.

Molex Foundation Africa illuminates an unrelenting effort targeted at fostering the growth and empowerment of children and young people, particularly those who are vulnerable and marginalised.

The CEO of the foundation, Dr Patrick Essien, expressed pride at the significant impact of the SHEROES in STEM initiative in the lives and future of young girls.

“Seeing the 60 girls we trained last year, and their zeal, passion and confidence to move on and become great in the future after the bootcamp was a dream come true for me. Not long ago, one of the participants, a student of Wesley Girls, had the opportunity to participate in a robotics competition in Bolivia. She had called to inform me she had qualified for the World International Robotics competition, expressing gratitude for the SHEROES in STEM initiative. There was another girl, a student of Asuansi Technical, who developed a robot that can turn into a car.”

He indicated that the training does not end at the bootcamp, saying, “We follow up on what our girls are doing in their various schools. And they are all doing well. The fulfilment also came this year when girls from all over the country came together for the bootcamp, poised to learn, break gender barriers in STEM, and become the leaders.

At Molex Foundation, we don’t believe in “behind every successful man, there is a woman”. But we have turned things around to say, “In every great achievement, there is a woman leading”. And that is what we are gearing towards and working on seriously. If you look at the five projects the girls are working on this year: the smart house, smart traffic light, air quality sensor and the others, they are exceptional.”

With STEM fields making transformative strides in the world, the CEO of Berlyn Group of Companies, Guido Coleman, is appealing to the government to prioritise STEM programmes to align with the ever-evolving world.

“I will urge the government to focus on STEM programmes. We are in a new world order, so we should all move in the same direction as other developed countries are doing. We can do it. Fortunately for Africa, we have all the resources to do that. What then is preventing us? I will also urge individuals. I have been a sponsor for this programme, and I will urge other companies to come on board and support to help locate talent in students. Now we have started with young girls. Maybe in the next years, we will also move on to the HEROES in STEM. We seriously need support.”

Education may be the bedrock for empowerment, yet many brilliant minds continue to experience barriers in their access to higher education. Hence, the foundation believes these barriers can, and must, be broken.

The theme for the SHEROES in STEM Cohort 2 bootcamp was “Breaking barriers to access higher education”.