Lagos, Nigeria, 15 February, 2021 – Afro-Tech Girls, a non-profit organization focused on encouraging and empowering females in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), recently hosted a conference, in partnership with IHS Nigeria, to commemorate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science themed ‘Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19.’
The conference, which was sponsored by IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Towers, hosted female speakers from the medical, science and technology sectors to an interactive session with over 100 participants in attendance online and a further 100 girls from public secondary schools watching from their classrooms. The event was also used as a soft launch of a longer-term partnership between Afro-Tech Girls and IHS Nigeria.
The theme of the event – Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 – reinforced present challenges associated with the current pandemic and highlighted how women in science are currently playing a critical role to address these challenges.
Speaking at the launch of the virtual event, Afro-Tech Girls co-founder, Adeola Shasanya, mentioned “We are grateful for organisations like IHS Nigeria that have committed to improve STEM outcomes in Nigeria particularly within young females. We are confident that their support will go a long way to ensure these females are equipped with the skills required to compete and contribute immensely in STEM related careers.”
Speakers at the commemorative event included – Dr. Ngozi Onyia, MD, Paelon Memorial Hospital; Ms. Cima Sholotan, Director of Sustainability & Corporate Communications, IHS Nigeria; Ms. Yetunde Adewunmi, PhD, Microbiologist, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health; Dr. Mobola Oyefule, Medical Doctor, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Dr. Kemi Ezenwanne, Medical Doctor, Armoured Shield Medical Centre; Ms. Jessica Uwoghiren, Data Analytics Expert; and Ms. Gloria Okereke, Team Lead, Network Operating Centre, IHS Nigeria.
In addition to key speakers from the event, critical issues faced by young females looking to build careers in STEM were addressed in the hope that confidence and soft skills will be improved to drive more interest and participation amongst young females.
To find out more about Afro-Tech Girls, please visit www.afrotechgirls.org.