To read more about the history of SWE in Africa and the work of the SWE Africa Task Force, please see parts 1, 2, and 3 of this series.
The West Africa region comprises 15 countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte D’ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Currently, there are 10 SWE Affiliates in the region – 7 in Nigeria and 3 in Liberia. The region is represented by SWE leaders: Vera Egwuatu, Lynda Bitrus Elesa, Chinyere Igwegbe, Itohan Otoijamun, Anthea Elameyi Udo, Stella Uzochukwu-Denis, Jessica Yakwo, Stella Chukwu, Ogochukwu Okeke, Chibueze Queen, Florence Ibrahim, Mulikat A. L. Idris, Catherine Ameh, Judith Kalu-Nchege, and Ruth Ize-iyamu
“Engineering plays a major role in supporting the growth of a country’s economy as well as improving the quality of life for its citizens. SWE has played a major role in helping me identify my interest and how to contribute to society through its mentorship, coaching, professional workshops, and networking with other women in engineering.” – Mulikat A. L. Idris
Learn more below about activities that have been done in the region.
Nigeria
Affiliates and Ambassadors in Nigeria focus largely on outreach programs to encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM fields. Some of the regular activities they conduct include Introduce a Girl to Engineering, Code with Girls, and First Lego League Robotics Competition.
Leaders in Nigeria also work to provide professional development opportunities to support women working in engineering. They have done hangouts and monthly get-togethers, while more recently taking their workshops online to build capacity during the pandemic.
Professional Development: Professional development activities to support women engineers include monthly meetings, hangouts, get-togethers, online workshops to build capacity, SWE Africa networking sessions, World Engineering Day programs, International Women’s Day programs, workplace etiquette, and more.
Collegiate Programs: Colligate Programs to encourage university students to pursue their career in STEM and join SWE have included activities such as:
- Meetings with other professional female engineers and SWE professional members
- Mentorship session
- Industry/company tour
- Visits to orphanage and disabled peoples home to give back to society
- Introduce university students to SWE
- Opening of university affiliates
- AutoCAD training
- Career talks
- International Women’s Day programs, and more
Liberia
Engineering Camp: The camp engages women and girls to encourage and motivate those aspiring to take up professional STEM careers with life changing experiences through professional and personal development workshops, tutorials, hands-on experiments and field activities in an environment designed to support students professionally, as well as give students a safe space.
