Imagine the excitement of our GiR when they heard that the US President Joe Biden's Deputy Assistant and the Deputy Director for Science and Society at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy - Dr. Nelson was going to spend 2 hours of her precious time with them!
The session left our girls feeling seen, valued, and inspired. An example of what impact could be created when women leaders in STEM make themselves accessible and available to listen, share, and encourage young girls to explore STEM careers. The personal note each of them received from Dr. Nelson would be a motivation for them as they find their match in STEM careers.
A big THANK YOU to the American Consulate Cape Town for making this happen for us. We are also thankful to our collaborators and family - West Riding Primary School's principal Mrs. Stacey Wenger, and her management team for hosting us and our guest.
The girls are looking forward to further engagements with Dr. Nelson, as they start the next phase of the learning and mentorship program at African Youth Ignited 4ir.
Lookout follow their growth on our LinkedIn and Facebook pages.
GiR is a ten month initiative of African Youth Ignited 4ir, the first and only initiative of its kind in South Africa. The objective of the initiative is to introduce primary and high school girls to STEM careers, to help them find their personal match therein, and to inspire them to pursue such careers at university level, while learning to monetize on the skills earned. This is done through educational robotics, tech skills development, and mentorship.
Because of the support we have been receiving from the US State Department of Education and Cultural Affairs through their Educational Exchange Program for Women Leaders in STEM, we have been able to refine our GiR project to make sure the impact can be sustained, and that the girls are exposed to the global network of mentors and opportunities. So, when we received a call about the special visit from the White House, we knew that the visit will be a needed boost for our 2023 plans for the program.
09 December 2022, Cape Town, South Africa