First Lady to speak at closure of tech women summer camp

First Lady Jeannette Kagame will this afternoon officiate at the closure of a three-week ‘Women in Science and Innovation’ (WiSci) Summer Camp, held at the Gashora Girls Academy in Bugesera District. Rwanda was selected as the first country to host this all-girl technology camp thanks to the relentless efforts/commitment of its government to promote the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields nationwide and viewing them as tools for sustainable development. According to a statement, the First Lady was invited as guest of honour because of the dedication her organization, Imbuto Foundation, demonstrates towards the promotion of girls’ education and rewarding excellence in school. This Science and Innovation Summer Camp began on 25 July 2015and was designed to advance opportunities for girls in STEM fields. A diverse group made of 120 female students from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United States, took part in a three-week long challenging hands-on curriculum, taught by industry professionals on computer science, robotics, entrepreneurship and design. “These sessions were taught in personalized small classes with the last week dedicated to group projects in which students had to create their own inventions using the knowledge acquired in computer science and robotics,” reads the statement in part. Participants also engaged in cross-cultural exchanges and built their leadership and entrepreneurial skills. After the camp, these participants will continue to have access to mentorship and opportunities for professional development. Led by the Ministry of Education in Rwanda, WiSci is a public-private partnership led by the Office of Global Partnership (S/GP) of the US Department of State and part of the US First Lady’s ‘Let Girls Learn’ initiative, launched to open the doors of education for girls around the world.

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First Lady to speak at closure of tech women summer camp