American multinational conglomerate, General Electric, and Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) a non-profit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya, and New York, are working with Kids Comp Camp in Kenya to get more girls interested in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The announcement was made during an event dubbed She Can Code Challenge as part of GE’s Girls initiative designed to encourage girls to explore the world of science, technology, engineering and math and STEM-based careers.
This development comes after UNESCO recently revealed that only 28 per cent of women globally are currently working in science and technology-related fields. It is understood that only 9% of Kenyan women are registered engineers.
Speaking at the event, Caleb Ndaka, Program Lead at Kids Comp Camp, said “Since 2014, Kids Comp Camp has interacted with slightly over 7,000 students in rural and slums areas, of which 54% were girls. Exposure, interest and support system remains the biggest barriers to young girls taking up courses and careers in STEM. We’re most pleased that GE and SHOFCO are on board to help overcome these barriers and reach out to more underserved girls.”
Speaking further, Brenda Mbathi, GE Women’s Network Leader for East Africa said, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to share our experiences that can help shape careers for young girls who are the next generation of leaders. At GE, we see diversity and inclusiveness as an essential part of our productivity, innovation and competitive advantage. GE Girls STEM initiatives with SHOFCO are at the core of this.”
NEWSTAGE gathers that SHOFCO runs tuition-free leadership academies for Girls, located in Kibera and Mathare in Nairobi, where over 500 students are receiving a free high-quality education from pre-kindergarten through the 8th grade.
“Every student receives healthcare, meals, uniforms and school supplies so that they can stay focused on what matters most: their futures. With dreams of being doctors, activists, and journalists, these bright minds will lead transformative change in Kenya and throughout the world.”
