Tech Mentors Inspire Nairobi High-School Girls in STEM Career Week

During Nairobi’s recent STEM Career Week, high-school girls were empowered by seasoned professionals from the technology sector who led focused mentorship sessions. The Kenya National Commission for UNESCO (KNATCOM) organized the event in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, WAAW Foundation, Huawei Kenya, and CEMASTEA. Over four days, more than 300 girls from 27 secondary schools attended boot camps, panel discussions, and hands-on activities, gaining critical career guidance and inspiration for future tech pathways.
A highlight of the week was a dedicated STEM Camp of Excellence at Nairobi Primary School, where mentors walked the students through robotics, mobile app development, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence—fields that are often seen as male-dominated. The camp also featured gender-transformative teaching modules for their teachers, helping to build more equitable STEM classrooms. Through interactive sessions, the girls discussed how their skills could be applied to real-world problems and learned that technology careers are not only accessible but also deeply meaningful.
The mentorship drive received praise from education advocates, parents, and the STEM community. Industry professionals urged more female role models to join mentorship programs to close the gender gap in tech. Meanwhile, WAAW Foundation and CEMASTEA emphasized the importance of sustained support, calling for regular engagement—not just a one-week campaign—to nurture lasting interest in STEM among young women.
Looking ahead, organizers plan to make STEM Career Week an annual fixture in Nairobi’s school calendar. They also hope to expand the mentorship program by linking more female tech professionals with students across informal settlements. With strengthened public-private collaboration and growing visibility of women in tech, the initiative could significantly boost gender parity in Kenya’s STEM workforce.