Profile of Mentors and STEM Team Members in Kenya

Dr. Faith Njoki Karanja: Faith is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geospatial and Space Technology, School of Engineering, University

of Nairobi, with a PhD in Geo-information from the University of Hannover, Germany, a Master’s Degree in Surveying and Photogrammetry,

Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science and a BSc. in Surveying and Photogrammetry all from University of Nairobi.

Dr. Cecilia Moraa Onyango: Cecilia is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi. Cecilia has

a PhD in Horticulture-Crop physiology from Wageningen University in Netherlands, an MSc.in Horticulture and BSc. In Agriculture, both from the

University of Nairobi.

Ms. Pamela Awuor-Osongo: Pamela holds an MSc in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa and F’SATI-ESIEE Paris–France; and a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical

and Electronic Engineering from Moi University. Pamela teaches Digital Electronics, Telecommunications Systems, Neural Networks (Artificial

Intelligent) and Satellite Systems at Moi University.

Ms. Amelia Anyango Omollo: Amelia has an Aeronautical Engineering Degree from Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation and an

MBA from the University of Nairobi. She is the Project Manager for Boeing 777 &767 at Kenya Airways. Prior to joining Kenya Airways, she was in the

military where she learnt the art of perseverance, tolerance and survival among other skills.

Mrs. Nancy W. Karigithu: Nancy Karigithu holds a Master’s Degree in International Maritime Law from the International Maritime Organization

(IMO) International Maritime Law Institute in Malta and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Nairobi. Nancy was formerly the

Director- General of the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and Chairman of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Technical Cooperation Committee. She serves on the Board of Governors of the World Maritime

University, Malmo, Sweden. Nancy is the Principal Secretary for Maritime Commerce.

Dr. Dorothy A. Amwata: Dorothy has a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Science Degrees in Rangeland Resource Management from the

University of Nairobi. She is a Lecturer and Chairman of the Department of Range and Wildlife Sciences, School of Agriculture and Veterinary Science at

South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU).

Mr. Kommen Chepkonga: Komen is a Science Secretary and International Nuclear Information Systems (INIS) Liaison Officer and ICT Systems Administrator at the National Commission for Science. Komen holds a

Master of Science Engineering Degree in Food Science and Technology and a Bachelor of Science Engineering Degree in Baking Science and Industry, both from Wuxi University of Light Industry in China. He has a Diploma in

Science Education from the University of Eldoret.

Ms. Josephine Mwangi: Josephine is a Gender and Youth Mainstreaming Officer in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST). She

is a holder of a Master In Science Degree in Human Resource Management from Jomo Kenyatta University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and

a Bachelor of Education Degree, both from Kenyatta University. Josephine coordinates the mentorship in STEM activities at MoEST.

Dr. Alice Auma Ochanda: Alice is a Programme Specialist for Gender and Science at the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa. She initiated the Scientific Camps of Excellence STEM Mentorship Programme. Alice has

a PhD in Anthropology (Gender and Development) and a Master of Arts Degree in International Studies, both from the University of Nairobi; and a Bachelor of Education Degree from Kenyatta University. Alice is responsible

for the overall Co-ordination of the mentorship in STEM programme. She also provides mentorship to girls on life skills, and science teachers on gender responsive teaching of science subjects. For further information please email: a.ochanda@unesco.org.

Scientific Camps of Excellence for Mentoring Girls in STEM:

Unlocking the Potential of Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics

“I used to say that physics is hard and not for women but now I have the idea how it’s helpful and I will do it. I think it had changed my mind and I am going

to work hard. The event was awesome and what I wish is that it could be there every year or annually.”

- Faith Indekhwa from Ruai Secondary School

Regional Office for Eastern Africa

United NationsEducational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization

NACOSTI

National Commission forScience, Technology and

Innovation

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

Ministry of Education,Science and Technology

UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern AfricaUnited Nations Avenue, UNON, Gigiri P.O. Box 30592-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254 (0)20 7622356 I Website: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/nairobi

Objectives

The main objective of the camps is to inspire girls in secondary schools to embrace science subjects with a view to enhanced participation in STEM courses and careers. The STEM Mentorship Camps provide girls with the necessary skills to pursue careers in the sciences, engineering, technology and mathematics; while simultaneously becoming powerful agents for gender equality. The Camps also seek to empower girls to think of solutions for problems in their country from scientific and engineering perspectives emphasize the need for science clubs at school, to facilitate further mentorship and networking opportunities.

Key Activities

Learning from role models where the girls are exposed to women scientists and engineers who have mentorship sessions with them is the key activity. The girls also get information on STEM courses offered at the university level as well as tips on how best to study for examinations, especially in the sciences. Added to these, students also receive mentorship on life skills and survival techniques.

Visiting the Learning Environment:

Exposure to the learning environment provides students with opportunity for laboratory demonstrations. Aimed at helping students to make informed career choices, this session provides girls with an opportunity to interact with professors from various STEM fields as well as university students.

Visiting Industries: Students also visit different manufacturing companies to see how science is put into play for the benefit of society and the relevance of the different science subjects in our day to day lives. .Such visits also expose the students to the importance of technology through sessions of telepresence/video conferencing with scientists from other parts of the world.

Thinking as Scientists and Engineers: The final part of the camp focuses on the ability of the mentored students to think as scientists/engineers by focusing on societal problems and coming up with scientific/engineering solutions for them.

Tracking the Impact: To assess the impact of the programme, the participating schools are requested to track the performance of those students who have been mentored. The mentors, some of whom are also lecturers in the Universities monitor the admissions to see how many of the mentored students are admitted in the different STEM courses, and are also expected to analyse the admissions for indication of an increase in enrolment.

The Scientific Camps of Excellence are organized within the context of UNESCO’s Priority Gender Equality Expected Result 1 of the Natural Science sector. The programme was introduced in Kenya in 2014 and aims to mentor secondary school girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The implementation of the programme is done in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), and the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). Other partners include Universities, Safaricom, CISCO Systems FAWE Regional Office, Women In Aviation (WIA–Kenya Chapter), and Industries. The aim of the program is to inspire girls to embrace science and engineering Courses and also to nurture them as future professionals in STEM.

About the Scientific Camps of Excellence

The first Scientific Camp of Excellence for mentoring girls in STEM in was organized in November 2014 at St. George’s Girls’ High School in Nairobi where girls in Forms 1, 2 and 3 in secondary schools from Nairobi, Laikipia, Kajiado, Makueni, Narok and Nakuru Counties participated. In 2015, students from the North Rift Region, namely, Baringo, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Trans Nzoia participated in the second STEM mentorship programme. The Third and final camp for the biennium took place in the Lake Region inviting counties of Homa Bay,

Kisumu, Siaya, Kisii, Migori and Nyamira. A total of 500 secondary school girls from 18 counties have already been mentored in Kenya during the three camps.

The need to bring science closer to the students is great as exemplified by Prof. Wandiga in the above excerpt. The decline in the number of engineers and scientists raises major concerns, as they are needed to overcome the global challenges like climate change and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals among others. The situation is worse for engineering courses where enrolment continues to decline and many who enroll continue to dropout before completion of the course. The importance of the contribution of engineers in building and improving every aspect of life cannot be overlooked, hence the need for more people to join the profession

”Technological gaps will keep on growing between developed and developing

countries as long as new approaches are not adopted in the teaching of STEM in primary and secondary schools. Most

Kenyan secondary schools laboratories are ill-equipped for students to carry out experiments; thus

they perceive sciences as dull, theoretical and abstract. They fail to relate what they are taught with its application

in the real world. Science will remain an abstract pursuit to learners so long as they are not exposed to its

real application in their daily lives. Technology will never be appropriate if students are not afforded means of contextualizing it – this should earnestly begin in our

laboratories.” - Pro

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