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BANJUL, The Gambia, Could 11 (IPS) – Within the coronary heart of The Gambia, an intrepid younger girl referred to as Fatou Juka Darbor is blazing a path for girls fuelled by her fiery ardour for STEM (Science, Know-how, Engineering and Arithmetic).
Her outstanding journey led her to co-found the nation’s first and solely 3D printing firm – Make 3D Firm Restricted – in 2019, breaking boundaries and provoking future generations.
Fascinated by machines from a younger age, Juka was decided to uncover their internal workings, taking aside radios and calculators with unbridled curiosity.
“I all the time wished to know what makes issues work,” she says.
Her unwavering dedication made her the one girl in her mechanical engineering class on the Gambia Technical Coaching Institute.
Reflecting on this journey, she says: “My experiences of the stigma connected to being ‘the girl’ in a male-dominated house made me notice how fortunate I used to be to have dad and mom that supported my determination to pursue sciences.”
Juka’s willpower culminated in a prestigious function as a mechanical engineer on the Gambia Nationwide Petroleum Firm.
Her ambitions, nevertheless, continued to soar. In 2019, she partnered with Silvestr Tká?, a tech fanatic, to create Make 3D Firm Restricted, introducing the revolutionary world of 3D printing to The Gambia.
“The truth that a younger girl like me is co-running this enterprise and rising it so shortly reveals how succesful Gambian ladies are if given the possibility and the help,” Juka says.
Her firm has been a catalyst for change, enhancing the lives of Gambians. In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, her Make 3D Firm Restricted collaborated with the Gambian Medical Analysis Council Unit (MRCG) to create protecting tools for frontline healthcare employees.
This progressive strategy garnered partnerships with the United Nations by way of the Worldwide Commerce Centre (ITC) and the UN Improvement Programme (UNDP), manufacturing over 8,000 face shields for the nation’s major referral hospital.
Moreover, Juka’s firm has developed prosthetic limb prototypes, providing inexpensive options and newfound hope to those that have misplaced their limbs resulting from accidents, ailments, or conflicts.
Juka’s steadfast dedication and resolve have garnered her quite a few accolades, solidifying her standing as a pioneer in her discipline.
Her message to younger women is unequivocal: “I hope I encourage younger women in Dumbutou and Basse to imagine that they are often something they dream of being. No profession is particularly meant for males solely. You could be no matter you wish to be if you happen to imagine in your self, even when nobody does.”
The UN in The Gambia is supporting initiatives to bridge the gender disparity hole in STEM. Via occasions such because the ‘UN Girls and Ladies in Science Day,’ the UN raises consciousness concerning the obstacles ladies and women face in STEM and affords capacity-building help to women-owned companies.
Juka’s uplifting story of braveness and resilience amidst adversity is a potent reminder that, given the proper alternatives and help, ladies can excel in STEM fields and go away an enduring, constructive affect on their communities.
Abdoulie Badjie is the Programmes Communications and Advocacy Officer within the UN RCO in The Gambia, whereas George Lwanda is the Head of UN RCO in The Gambia.
Supply: Africa Renewal, United Nations
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© Inter Press Service (2023) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
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