By James Ahela
There are high numbers of women taking technical courses in technical institutions thanks to mentorship programs by Women In Technical Education and Development (WITED) organizations at higher institutions of learning.
In the past four years, the number of ladies taking science technical, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses at the Eldoret National Polytechnic has gone up by 50% leading to a foreseeable gender balance in the men-dominated career.
According to WITED coordinator at the polytechnic Anita Kosgei, the mentorship program involves talking to girls and young ladies both in high schools and at the college level to take up science courses and be innovative.
“The program has been here for some time, we get mentors to go out to schools and carry out champions talk to students encouraging them to take up these courses,” Kosgei said.
“We had observed a low enrollment of women in science and engineering courses and so it fit to bridge the gap by mentoring those already taking the courses as well as reach out to many more to take the same courses,” she added.
Work on social issues
Speaking during a mentorship session organized at the Eldoret Polytechnic on Wednesday Peninah Suge, a mentor and a member of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce urged ladies to work on social issues around them to be able to communicate clearly who they are.
“If you sharpen yourself well now you will be able to communicate clearly who you are and cut through your professional excellence,” she said.
A mentor to many young lives, Suge who started her career as a youth sailing through to top leadership appealed to ladies to take advantage of changes in technology to prepare themselves for the future.
“I was a CEO at the age of 25, back then it wasn’t easy at all we were limited to technology compared to today, technology has accelerated access to a lot that can make you better if you rise and take charge of your destiny,” she added.
Suge also urged students to carry out inner reflection of who they are and set targets that they can achieve.
“Don’t take yourself into sympathy mode, you will never reach a higher level than the one you have set, so set your mark higher even if it will take you painful effort, sacrifice and denial to ascend to a land of progress,” she said.
The Polytechnic’s Principal acknowledged a need to carry out more mentorship programs for the ladies doing STEM courses.
“This should be the beginning of many other programs for these students since they need such programs for career development,” he said.
Other key speakers at the mentorship program were Emily Rugut Director in charge of women in Business at the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce, Engineer Sheilah Shivoga, a civil engineer and Annastacia Njuguna a member of Women in Business.
