Women and girls have made groundbreaking contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, traditional gender roles continue to create a gap between males and females in STEM education and career paths. The gender gap stalls the overall growth of gender equality, a defining factor for nations to achieve sustainable development. In order to promote the progression towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and acknowledge the essential role women and girls have in STEM fields, the United Nations declared February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Asante Africa’s programs encourage and assist girls in STEM fields. Whether we are providing scholarships, creating after school clubs, equipping schools with the right technology and tools, or ensuring teachers have the necessary resources to teach STEM, our methods reinforce girls in STEM and are aligned with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science! Our achievements, no matter how small or big, can be seen in student success stories as girls describe their learning experiences and provide positive feedback.
Felister Baltazary
“My name is Felister Baltazary and I’m a Form Three student at Shambalai Secondary School in Lushoto district, Tanga. Asante Africa’s School Based Clubs project provided digital tools that have opened my mind and provoked my love for science. I’m currently in several science subjects and so far, physics has been my favorite subject. My dream is to become an electrical engineer and solve electrical problems in my community. Rachel Plus, the offline academic learning device, has given me a wider understanding on several issues that I had needed extra knowledge about. I really like science and my classes have made me think and act differently towards certain things in my home and school environment. For example, I have been practicing on how to connect different types of electrical appliances in order to get light and energy for different uses. I have also experimented with taking the batteries used to power radios and then connecting them to get electricity when it goes off at home. I would like to thank Asante Africa for being a unique organization that sees things differently and has made science a priority.”
Rehema Michaela
“My name is Rehema Michaela and I’m a Form Three student at Mraokeryo Secondary School in Rombo, Kilimanjaro. Before I got involved in the School Based Club, I had no access to digital tools and technology. I was not confident in my abilities to solve mathematics and science problems and I would score poorly on my tests and exams. The availability of these tools in our school and being an active member of the club has changed my academic performance and I now love science subjects even more. With the Rachel Plus device, I can learn fast, do revision, watch videos, and complete more exercises to improve my performance. It has made me rethink that my initial beliefs in my abilities to do mathematics and science were wrong. As we speak now, my grades have improved! Because our club teacher puts more emphasis in Biology and Chemistry and we spend more time researching and learning about them, my grades in those subjects show the highest improvement. I never believed that I could perform well in science subjects, but now that I am doing so well in them, my dream is to become a doctor. I know that when I stay consistently with what I believe in and put more effort into studying, I will reach where I want to be.“
Lucy Johna
“My name is Lucy Johna and I’m a student from Kilamacho Secondary School in Rombo, Kilimanjaro. Ever since I have been a member of Asante Africa’s After School Club, I have benefited a lot and it has surely made me fall in love with sciences. Before the availability of digital technology in our school, I wasn’t so motivated to take science subjects but now the arrival of the tools has motivated me to love science subjects. Through my experiences in the classroom and as a club member, I learned to map out my dream wisely and realized that sciences are my dream subjects and that the availability of these tools has made it easy for me to study hard and perform well in class. The Rachel Plus device has shaped my knowledge and given me a clear picture of where I want to be since it contains a lot of STEM materials. I now see my dreams of becoming a doctor real and possible because I have the resources to make my journey achievable.”
Join us in honoring not only our girls but all women and girls in science for the 5th annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science! If you wish to learn more about Asante Africa Foundation and how our projects work to tackle the gender disparity in STEM and provide general gender equality efforts, visit our webpage!
