Update

Part 5: STEM Mentoring Program: “#STEMingUp a Sister” to Create a Smoother Path for our Future Techies.



#STEMingUp a Sister

Today I am launching a STEM Mentoring Program at CYEED called #STEMingUp a Sister”.

As part of my Digital Action Campaign “Bring a Girl to STEM” the main objective is to recruit and retain more female students in STEM,encouraging women and girls to peruse a career in STEM fields.

I am on a mission to narrow the gender Tech divide, breaking stereotypes about STEM education for girls by teaching them basic programming and digital skills early on with the assistance of mentors to guide our girls.

The STEM program I am currently running is the MOS Championship 2017. It has attract more than 40 girls who are presently receiving digital skill training on Microsoft (MOS) applications in our computer lab.

Presently at CYEED youths especially girls are taking a starring role at CYEED, busting stereotypes with STEM skills and innovative projects. Our girls are in need of role models or mentors whom they can look up to.

To see our impact so far you can follow #STEM4Girls #Mentors4Change on social media and we also invite you to also share and tweet our posts.

#STEMingUp a Sister Mentoring Program is a free mentoring program for girls and women in STEM. This yearly program pairs students at CYEED with a personal one-on-one mentor. The interaction is both online via Skype calls twice a month and offline at CYEED digital training center 3 times a month over a period of 6 months.

Mentors will acts as examples for the girls to follow and will provide advice that will shape their career paths early on. I am working closely with one of my amazing mentees called Pierrette Akumawah who leads the mentoring program for girls and women.

The first mentor who was very interested and contacted immediately to sign up is Jill Langhus on the 7th May. Special thanks to this World Pulse sister who kept me working on this project and she is ready to begin.

Thanks to the World Pulse platform I met a sister from Nigeria, Adanna Nuela. After having a close look at her work, I invited her to join my digital empowerment journey that will inspire girls to explore technology. Adanna is the founder of InspireIt and we have a similar vision to mentor girls and train them to use digital tools to amplify their voices on issue affecting them in the STEM field which is male dominated. I am happy to announce that we have agreed to collaborate on this mentoring program for girls by sharing our experiences, expertise and resources.

So far 10 women have signed up for online mentoring including 4 World Pulse sisters, Shirley kimmayong and Feka Parchibelle. They are already very excited to begin 101 discussions with their mentees on the 20th of June 2017.

For offline mentoring, we already have a team of 15 professionals including 4 women form TechWomen Alumni in Cameroon who will come to the office for 1 hour to follow up on the progress of their mentee.

The role of a mentors is to:

  • Coach and guide 2 or 3 girls
  • Provide career orientation and counselling.
  • Increase the participation of secondary students in the rural areas
  • Help develop and build strong foundation for girls in STEM early on
  • Motivate girls to choose STEM at school and stay on the STEM field
  • Inspire and motivate women who are role models to become mentors for our girls.
  • Encourage more women working in STEM and CS to become mentors as a pathway to leadership

You can help change the world, one girl at a time. Join this life changing opportunity by becoming a mentor by sending me a massage here or referring someone as a mentor.

You may want to sponsor a girl or two to attend one of our STEM programs enabling her to learn basic programming skills, please contact me here or on face book if you want to help a girl acquire ICT and leadership skills. Or you may also want to donate science text book and science kits to girls.

Stay tuned for more updates! Cheers!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8LkHMJ7NsM

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