Education Empowers Rahel’s Engineering Career
Rahel’s journey with Asante Africa Foundation began in 2010 when she was an 11 year old student. She was introduced to Asante Africa Foundation’s Scholarship program at a critical point that would change her world view and allowed her to explore an engineering career, escaping the limitations often imposed on women in her community.
Like other Asante Africa Foundation’s scholarship recipients, Rahel comes from a struggling family. Due to the unfortunate passing of her father while she was young, Rahel and her six siblings are only being supported by their single mother. As her financial support was spread thin, she, along with her siblings would be unable to continue their education. The thought of removing these burdens had always been on Rahel’s mind; not just for her, but for the sake of her family, for the sake of her community. The introduction of Asante Africa Foundation allowed Rahel to quickly realize that there is a way to overcome her circumstances through education.
Through Asante Africa’s guidance, Rahel received the financial support for her primary and secondary school that she desperately needed to pursue her education— ultimately resulting in her interest in a STEM career and her graduation with a Diploma in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering in 2019. The assistance provided by Asante Africa Foundation lifted the burden of school fees and expenses, allowing Rahel to focus on her studies to become the woman that she wants to be:
“An educated girl has the potential to change the world.” – Rahel
No longer worrying about financial complications, Rahel could foster her personal growth beyond her education. Asante Africa Foundation’s Wezesha Vijana Program gave Rahel a plethora of resources such as workshops where she learned about gender-based systemic issues, networking events, and mentorship opportunities that enriched her academic experience and broadened her horizons. Ultimately she was introduced to the STEM field. Though it is estimated that only 10% to 20% of the engineering sector in Africa is made up of women, Rahel believes that it is just another barrier to overcome.
Today, Rahel serves as a systems analyst at an internet service provider. In this role, she carefully analyzes the company’s systems and processes related to internet services to ensure that everything is running efficiently. The role allowed Rahel to demonstrate her efficiency not only in engineering, but in leadership and collaboration, working closely with various teams to streamline operations and enhance overall performance. Rahel can now skillfully identify her company’s areas of improvement and adapt processes to combat them.
Rahel expresses that her development and recognition that she received serves as a reminder that she can defy negative stereotypes and that she is always committed to her academic success and personal growth. She will continue her journey as a woman in STEM, and plans to pursue a Bachelor Degree in Computer Engineering. Rahel is passionate for engineering and is keen on diving deeper into her studies to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to create change for her community:
“I believe that a solid foundation in engineering principles will not only provide me with exciting career opportunities but also equip me with problem-solving abilities that can contribute to addressing real-world challenges.”
Rahel has always been eager to make contributions to her family and community. Given the resources and opportunity, she is making her dreams a reality.