NGO graduates 17 women from STEM empowerment project
The Centre for Integrated Health Programmes (CIHP), a non-governmental organization (NGO), has celebrated the graduation of 17 young women from its STEM Hub for Empowerment (SHE) program.
The SHE project is an initiative aimed at empowering young women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in these fields.
Addressing the first cohort’s graduation, Dr. Bola Oyeledun, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CIHP, stated that the initiative aims to elevate the digital and financial literacy skills of underprivileged girls.
The project was organised by CIHP in collaboration with PEPFAR through the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Oyeledun highlighted the presence of numerous vulnerable children in society, including orphans, who lack proper guidance in selecting a profession or managing themselves as they mature.
“This initiative is meant to address some societal challenges. We have girls that have been exposed to different vulnerabilities, girls assaulted, raped or lacking in any form of care.
“Apart from empowering young girls to be interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, we are also building their interest in coding, digital creation and other skills to support them,” she said.
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According to Oyeledun, the project’s curriculum includes courses in digital marketing, technical engineering, computer programming, essential life skills, mental health support, financial and basic computer literacy.
The centre empowers young people to start businesses and build their self-esteem, and the residents have access to mental health services, including support from a resident clinical psychologist who can assess and refer them for extra care if needed.
Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services, University of Lagos, encouraged those with opportunities to empower girls to provide access. As a board member of CIHP, Atsenuwa pledged the organization’s support in providing entrepreneurship training to ensure the sustainability of the beneficiaries’ skills.
Abigail Rosiji, one of the graduands, expressed that despite the challenges she encountered while coding, she consistently experienced a sense of exhilaration and triumph, always feeling on top of the world.
“Right now, I’m a front-end programmer; I can code the front-end of any website. I’m still going into advanced classes to learn the back-end,” she said.
Chigozie Madichie, another graduand who delved into coding and web design, shared her journey by stating that the initial stages of the program felt relatively effortless, but as the class progressed, it became more challenging and even somewhat intimidating. However, undeterred by the difficulties, she expressed her determination to pursue more advanced classes to further refine and augment her skills.
