Inspiring female students through STEM

Through hands-on experiences of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and encouragement from role models, girls see their abilities and future differently.

Girls from grades 4 to 6 and in junior high school (grades 7-9) meet once a week, before or after school to engage in active, hands-on learning. The learning materials, mostly low-cost and obtained from Ghana, allow them to understand the concepts they have learned in school better.

The small groups of 15, in contrast to classrooms of 30 – 80, allow them to discuss, ask questions. Our trained facilitators encourage them to explore, make mistakes and troubleshoot, and share.

Through these experiences, girls no longer believe that science, technology engineering and mathematics are beyond them. They are ideas they can grasp and apply. There is a place for them. A teacher said,

After they attend club meetings, they go back to teach others in the class. As they do this, teachers find it easier to teach similar topics in science. When they get back home, they teach their siblings and parents.

Through clubs and field trips, girls gain a deeper understanding of the natural and built worlds. Through affirmations from each other and from their teacher-facilitators, girls build a community of support.  Through stories and role model visits about and from women who have embraced and conquered STEM and other areas, girls know they too can embark on a journey to uncover their potentials, and can be contributors and leaders, in whatever sphere they choose.