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Meet Dr. Juliet M. Daniel, Trailblazing Cancer Researcher

Dr. Juliet M. Daniel is a trailblazing cancer researcher who has dedicated her life to making groundbreaking contributions in the field of biology. In a world where survival can be an arduous battle, Dr. Daniel rises above the challenges, defying the odds and leaving an indelible mark on the lives of others. With unwavering dedication and a passion for scientific exploration, Dr. Juliet M. Daniel has become a prominent figure in the field of cancer research. Her innovative work and groundbreaking discoveries have the potential to transform our understanding of cancer, offering hope and improved outcomes for countless individuals.

Born in Barbados and now a proud Canadian, Dr. Juliet Daniel is a beacon of inspiration, using her expertise and passion to revolutionize our understanding of cancer and pave the way for new treatments and therapies. As a biology professor at McMaster University, her relentless pursuit of knowledge and her unwavering dedication to her research have positioned her as a leading figure in the scientific community.

Join us as we uncover the extraordinary life and achievements of Dr. Juliet M. Daniel—a woman whose commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and improving the lives of cancer patients has made her a true force to be reckoned with.

Dr. Juliet M. Daniel’s Educational Journey

Dr. Juliet M. Daniel’s educational journey is marked by personal tragedies, unyielding determination, and a relentless pursuit of scientific knowledge. Her path began at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where she embarked on her bachelor’s degree in life sciences. It was a transformative time for Juliet, as she left the familiarity of her home in Barbados and ventured into the world of academia.

During her last year of undergraduate studies, tragedy struck, shaping the course of her life and career. The loss of her neighbor to breast cancer followed by her mother’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer deeply impacted Juliet. Six months after her mother’s diagnosis, she tragically lost herself to the disease. These profound experiences ignited a fire within her, driving her to dedicate her life to understanding and combatting cancer.

Motivated by her personal experiences, Juliet continued her educational journey by pursuing a Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of British Columbia. The allure of a warmer climate in British Columbia enticed her, especially after enduring chilly Ontario winters. Under the guidance of esteemed mentors, she delved into cutting-edge research, seeking to unravel the mysteries of cancer biology.

Dr. Juliet M. Daniel’s Career Journey

Following the completion of her Ph.D., Dr. Daniel embarked on postdoctoral research fellowships at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. These experiences further deepened her understanding of cancer and provided invaluable opportunities to collaborate with leading scientists in the field. Her time in Tennessee honed her research skills, broadened her perspective, and set the stage for her future contributions as a cancer biologist.

In 1999, Dr. Juliet M. Daniel achieved a significant milestone in her career by joining McMaster University as an Assistant Professor. Her appointment was record-breaking, as she became the first Black female scientist to be hired by the university. Despite a field still predominantly dominated by white men, Dr. Daniel’s presence and achievements serve as an inspiration for aspiring scientists from underrepresented backgrounds.

Throughout her tenure at McMaster University, Dr. Daniel has made remarkable contributions to the field of cancer research. Her expertise, passion, and unwavering commitment to scientific discovery have propelled her to the forefront of the scientific community. As a Professor and Cancer Biologist in the Department of Biology, she continues to push the boundaries of knowledge, seeking to unravel the complexities of cancer and develop innovative approaches to treatment and prevention.

Dr. Daniel fosters diversity and inclusion within the scientific community. Recognizing the need for greater representation, she has actively worked towards increasing the number of Black cancer researchers in Canada.

Dr. Juliet M. Daniel Pioneering Research

Dr. Juliet M. Daniel

Among its contributions is Daniel’s pioneering work on triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) as well as their impact on underserved populations. She has opened up new avenues of research with her discovery of the Kaiso gene. Additionally, she also sheds light on how cancer spreads and replicates.

The presence of this particular subtype of breast cancer disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic women, highlighting the need for targeted treatment research.

A key goal of Dr. Daniel’s research is to identify genes or markers that may contribute to racial disparities in TNBC prevalence and mortality. Through the study of TNBC genetics and molecular details, Dr. Daniel hopes to improve cancer outcomes for women worldwide suffering from this challenging form of cancer.

Through her research, Dr. Daniel is not only advancing scientific knowledge but also striving to make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by cancer, particularly in underserved communities.

Professional Achievements and Recognition

Dr. Daniel has prestigious awards and honors in recognition of her contributions. She has received grants and funding from esteemed organizations and institutions, such as the (CIHR), (NSERC), and the U.S.  (CDMRP) Breast Cancer IDEA Awards. These funding opportunities have allowed her to continue exploring cancer research and create new avenues for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

She was also honored with prestigious awards like the Ontario Premier’s Research Excellence Award, the Hamilton Black History Month John C. Holland Professional Achievement Award, and the African Canadian Achievement Award of Excellence in Science. These accolades highlight her outstanding contributions to cancer research and recognize her as a leader in the scientific community.

Dr. Daniel has received the Hamilton YWCA Women of Distinction Award, the BBPA Harry Jerome Award, and the Barbados National Honor Gold Crown of Merit. Her mentoring efforts are recognized through the National Let’s Talk Science Program and various non-profit organizations.

Dr. Daniel’s dedication to promoting diversity in science has earned her respect and admiration. Her exceptional professional achievements and recognition showcase her profound impact on cancer research and advocacy. Her discoveries, numerous awards, and commitment to diversity have solidified her status as a leading figure in the scientific community.

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Innovation in the Tech Industry, Funke Opeke, the CEO of MainOne

Innovation is the lifeblood of the tech industry, driving change and progress at a breakneck pace. And few people embody this spirit of innovation better than Funke Opeke, the visionary founder of MainOne.

Her career spans more than two decades in the United States and Africa, and she’s helped with some of the biggest tech development stories.

MainOne helps connect millions of people to the digital world in West Africa today as a leading provider of broadband infrastructure solutions. So join us as we explore this trailblazing entrepreneur and her ongoing quest to revolutionize innovation in the tech industry.

Who is Funke Opeke?

Funke Opeke is a name that has become synonymous with innovation in the tech industry, particularly in Nigeria. She is the founder and CEO of MainOne, a company that provides telecom and network solutions to businesses in Nigeria and West Africa.

Since founding the company in 2010, Opeke has become a trailblazer in the male-dominated tech industry, showing that women can excel in this field. Opeke’s journey in the tech industry began after she returned to Nigeria from the United States, where she worked with some of the biggest names in the tech industry, including Verizon and MTN.

In 2008, she identified a gap in the Nigerian telecoms market and started MainOne to provide much-needed network solutions to businesses in Nigeria and West Africa.

Funke Opeke’s Upbringing

Funke Opeke, originally from Ile-Oluji, Ondo state, grew up in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state. She was born into a family of nine, and her father was the first Nigerian director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, while her mother was a teacher.

After completing her secondary education at Queens School, an all-girls school in Ibadan, she studied electrical engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Funke’s parents were highly successful, and they inspired Funke Opeke and her siblings to have big dreams and use their gifts. It is an example of the phrase, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.”

Late Professor Chief L.K. Opeke, Funke Opeke’s father, achieved several notable accomplishments during his lifetime. Among these was being the first Nigerian to hold the director position at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria. They also awarded him the World Cocoa Gold Merit Award and were a director of Cocoa Industries Ltd, one of Nigeria’s major companies during the 1980s.

In addition to these achievements, he served as a member of the first Senate of the Federal University of Technology in Akure, Ondo state, where he was also the Dean of the School of Agriculture & Agricultural Technology. Her mother, who is now retired, was a teacher who held leadership positions at several Catholic private schools.

Her Innovation in the Tech Industry

One of the most remarkable things about Opeke’s leadership style is her commitment to innovation. She is instrumental in driving innovation at MainOne, leading the company to develop some of Nigeria’s most advanced telecom and network solutions.

Under her leadership, MainOne built West Africa’s largest data center, which is a hub for businesses looking to expand their operations in the region.

But perhaps what is most inspiring about Opeke is her dedication to promoting gender diversity in the tech industry. She speaks extensively about the need for more women to take up roles in the industry and is a vocal advocate for women’s rights in the workplace.

Opeke has shown that women can lead and innovate in the tech industry, and her example is inspiring a new generation of women to pursue careers in the field.

Through her work at MainOne, Opeke is changing the tech industry landscape in Nigeria and West Africa. It is glaring that innovation and leadership are not the exclusive preserve of men and that women can excel in the tech industry.

Her story is one of resilience, hard work, and determination, and it inspires women worldwide who aspire to break barriers in their chosen fields.

 

The Reason for Starting MainOne, and What the Initial Vision Was.

Funke Opeke founded MainOne to bridge the digital divide and extend internet connectivity to West Africa, aiming to accelerate the pace of development and improve the region’s quality of life.

After witnessing the explosive growth of the internet and gaining professional expertise in the field during her two decades in the United States, Funke Opeke founded MainOne to bridge the digital divide and extend internet connectivity to West Africa, aiming to accelerate the pace of development and improve the region’s quality of life.

Through MainOne, Funke Opeke aimed to bring the same technological advancements and opportunities to Africa that were transforming other regions to ensure they would not leave Africans behind in the global digital landscape.

MainOne aimed to create new opportunities for education, commerce, and communication by expanding access to internet services and enabling Africans to participate fully in the digital age.

How MainOne Created Innovation in the Tech Industry Over the Years

MainOne, which built West Africa’s first privately owned submarine cable, has grown into a primary provider of broadband infrastructure solutions, including connection and data center services, two telecommunications companies, businesses, and governments across the region.

MainOne has made significant investments in regional commercial Tier III data centers and terrestrial fiber networks to achieve this transformation, expanding its services and geographic reach over the years. As a result, the company has built a strong reputation for reliability and innovation, offering a wide range of connectivity and data center services that have helped to transform the digital landscape in West Africa.

Despite the challenges posed by being a woman in the tech industry, Ms. Opeke has succeeded in expanding MainOne’s offerings while maintaining a commitment to providing high-quality, affordable services to its customers.

With a sound track record of success and a continued focus on innovation and investment, MainOne is well-positioned to generate value for its customers and stakeholders well into the future.

Funke Opeke is a shining example of how women can lead successful innovation in the tech industry. As we celebrate her achievements, we must also look to the future and work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse tech industry that empowers women to succeed.

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Dr Nimi Ekere: The Family Physician Giving Hope To Victims Of Child Sexual Abuse

Dr. Nimi Stephanie Ekere is a Consultant Family Physician. She is a graduate of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Nimi had her residency training at the Family Medicine Department of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where she later became the Chief Resident Physician handling clinical, academic and administrative duties.

She was also involved in the training and supervision of junior residents and did this effectively and efficiently.

Dr Nimi Ekere is a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Family Physicians with interest in Adolescent Health. She currently works as a Consultant Family Physician at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital ( LASUTH).

Dr Nimi Ekere

Dr Ekere is also a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and a Certified Management Consultant. She is a Certified Management Specialist with distinction in Time Management from the London Graduate School.

Dr Ekere is a leading Child Advocate, Author, Speaker, Coach, Parenting Enthusiast, Teacher and Humanitarian. She has practised medicine in urban and rural areas for almost two decades and has endeared herself to her patients through her dedication to duties, empathy and love for people, especially children, adolescents, and the less privileged.

Nimi is the founder of Smileandshine Children’s Foundation, a non-profit organisation that is aimed at preventing Child Sexual Abuse, providing the needed help and support, as well as emergency care and treatment with adequate follow up and rehabilitation of victims (children).

In rural communities in Nigeria, Dr. Nimi’s campaign against child abuse has inspired social security and hope for many children with unbelievable realities. Her child advocacy has been featured multiple times on various mainstream media outlets, including the BBC.

Dr Nimi Ekere is an author of four best selling books that address the issue of Child Sexual Abuse with practical remedies. This collection of books teach children, pre-teenagers, teenagers and parents all they need to know about combating the menace. All four of her books are in different academic curricula of government-run primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.

One of her books is currently in use in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), also known as Junior WAEC, in Rivers State.

Nimi is a strong proponent of effective and intentional parenting and convenes different programmes and conferences that promote child rights and protection. She has also featured in many panels and conferences across the globe.

Dr Nimi Ekere

She has organised numerous outreaches for children, vulnerable women and the elderly. She also has carried out numerous medical outreaches, free trainings for the less privileged, sometimes partnering other NGOs; local and international.

She is the convener of STRIVE CONFERENCE, an annual children conference that brings together children from public and private schools with the aim of teaching and empowering them to make better choices in all they do, to ultimately become better versions of themselves. The past edition had in attendance the first Lady of Lagos State, HE, Dr. Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and a host of other dignitaries.

 

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How Chiddie Anyasodo Is Helping People Find Love Through Chotayah

A graduate of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Chiddie Anyasodo is the co-founder of Chotayah, a high-end executive matchmaking service for professional Africans all over the world. Through the platform, Chiddie and her husband Ben, have helped many African singles discover and route out the obstacles preventing them from being in a healthy relationship. Chiddie’s career path evolved from engineering into full entrepreneurship over the years. She has worked in different phases of the Upstream Oil and Gas industry – initially as an International Mobile Field Engineer with Schlumberger, working in different countries. She also worked as Business Development Manager, later joined another company as the Global Vice President for Commercial, before moving on to build her own businesses.

Chiddie Anyasodo, Co-founder- Chotayah

Having previously experienced numerous heartbreaking failed relationships, Chiddie understands relationship pains and so empathizes fully with clients. This understanding ignited her passion to study relationships, how people can find High value Spouses and build healthy fulfilling relationships in their own terms .

Chiddie coaches and strategizes with heart, bringing the perfect combination of visionary thinking and practical experience to her service.

Chiddie is happily married to Ben Anyasodo, they are both co-founders of their matchmaking platform, Chotayah

Ben and Chiddie Anyasodo, Co-founders – Chotayah

Ben and Chiddie have a proven track record of creating head-turning power couples who augment each others’ successes.

The services they’ve crafted for Chotayah are bespoke and exquisite, tailored to each client’s desires and challenges, and focus on putting the seeker back in complete control of finding their ideal mate.

Together they have helped many African singles discover and route out the obstacles.

About Chotayah

Chotayah has become the most trusted name in high-profile African matches and marriages.

Speaking on the inspiration behind Chotyah, the sought after relationship coach had this to say: “I got rejected many times with excuses like ‘you earn too much,’ ‘a woman shouldn’t earn more than a man’. ‘You are too boyish, too ambitious’. ‘Your job exposes you and makes you travel too much’ and ‘you won’t make a good wife’. ‘A successful woman will never respect a man’.

“At one point, I was told by some pastors and relatives that I had a spiritual problem. You can imagine. After praying so much and the cycle kept repeating, I decided to try alternative methods.

“First, I tried to use some Western dating sites like E-harmony and Match.com. But they always rejected my application as I was Nigerian. I also tried to hire a matchmaker in the USA then, but she didn’t work with people outside the USA.

“So, I decided to go on my own. That experience made me start reading and exploring what makes relationships work. I also got a relationship coach, started studying serial men and women who always seemed to have lots of attention from their love interest.

“I took everything I learnt and crafted my own strategy to find my man. It took me about 8/9 months to find my man and no more heart breaks. My friends who knew about all my negative experiences started using the same formula and it worked for them.

“And every day, I see so many people like me going through the same challenges that I went through. Successful high-flying people who have succeeded everywhere but seem they are not able to succeed in the love department.

“I then decided to go study matchmaking in the UK and Relationship Coaching in New York. My husband is a Behavioral Change Expert & Therapist. We decided to join our passion and expertise to give birth to Chotayah.”

To know more about Chiddie’s , Follow her via  her social media accounts below

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

 

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I Started Omas World Of Glamour Out Of My Passion For Humanity- Dr. Joy Ezeike

Life they say has different faces and only the tough people can stand the challenges of life. It is better to fail in novelty than to succeed in imitation, a belief that makes Amb. (Dr.) Joy I. Ezeike is unique in life, she believes in her own concept of creating a different world in business and personal life. Amb. (Dr.) Joy I. Ezeike is a woman of many parts, an entrepreneur and business professional par excellence, a renowned certified media expert with global training experience, an astute personality with proven managerial and administrative competencies.

She retired to private personal business after several years in the banking sector in Nigeria. Her love for photography, cinematography, movie production and event management spurred her to establish a media company known as Omas World of Glamour Ltd. As the Founder/CEO of Omas Group of companies (Omas World of Glamour Ltd, Omas Studios ltd and Omas Multimedia Ltd), she made sure that required energy that engenders business growth was invested and the company grew to become the number media company in the city of Port Harcourt. Presently, the company has a strong presence in Lagos and Abuja.

Her contribution to the social economic development through the media industry earned her different awards from different reputable bodies including religious organizations in recognition of her role in the society and capacity building. The most recent is the Garden City Advancement Award where she received a platinum honors enterprising personality of the year in the year 2021. Also, the Rotary club of Ogudu GRA District gave her an award in recognition of her service to humanity.

Dr. Joy has an honorary doctorate degree (Hon. Causa) in media and art from omini Bible University Oklahoma USA. She shares her inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this interview.

Childhood Influence

Growing up and family life in a humble background got me ready for life. I grew up in a very peaceful, fun and loving family with parents who taught me almost all I know. Of course, I didn’t know I would be here right now doing this but somewhere along the line it came to me and ever since to the glory of God it has been a success story.

Inspiration Behind Omas Group Of Companies And Omas Mega 4 Projects

Love and Passion for humanity, the passion to create unending employment for the young ones in our society. The Holy Spirit has been the guide and anchor, he directs, and I simply follow. The foundation for hope is an NGO set up to cater for the elderly, helpless and needy of our society.“My Story” is a movie about my life to give hope and belief to others who are either upcoming or think they have lost it in life. Face of Omas is a pageant brand geared towards uplifting the girl child. Omas studios TV is an online platform.

The Journey So Far

Wasn’t smooth at first, but the Holy Spirit kept me going so I Thank God for the success we enjoy today. It’s been a tough yet fun ride, I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me.

What iinformed my mdecision to Leave the banking sector for entrepreneurship

The bank because it was pre-planned, I left to be a mother to my children and a wife to my husband. My regional manager refused me leaving thinking there was a problem at the home front but there wasn’t any. I didn’t just believe in people taking care of my kids so I took a sabbatical leave from the bank, but business came calling and I answered. I can return to banking at any time.

Society and Its Support for women in my kind of business
Societal support doesn’t really count for me, because society is not the vision bearer, so they won’t really understand your drive. My pulling force in life/business has been heavenly support and that is what really counts for me. But then, generally it will be better if society will support women especially in the media industry.

Three women who inspire me and why

I have drawn inspiration from many Nigerian women, the likes of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Rev Nches Iredu, at the international scene, the likes of Michelle Obama etc. These are women who have been in various ladders of leadership, and some are leading big organizations and institutions so they inspire me a great deal, it makes me believe that there is no limit to what a woman can achieve.

Achieving work-life balance

It has been God, he makes all things possible. He keeps giving me top notch dedicated workers who always key into the vision. How I do it I don’t know, just God keeps making it happen. I must tell you that it is not always very easy balancing marriage and work as both are demanding, especially when you have children to take care of, however, marriage should not deter Women from working and even giving sufficient time to work. These days, the emphasis is no longer on the housewife, this is because to catch up with the demands of the family requires all hands to be on deck. As a matter of fact, I have provided strong support for my husband as long as the day to day running of our home is concerned. Over time, I have understood the home front and also my career, it takes dedication, absolute dedication, self-sacrifice to balance the demand from the home front and career. Truthfully speaking, I work hard, and I give time to my work, I even work at night, yet I still find sufficient time for my husband and children. One thing that has helped me is my time management skill and I think people should learn the principles of time management, it will help them to balance the time they give at home and at work.

Challenges of my work

Lack of Government support, Lack of collaboration with established firms in putting Nigerian media at the top sector. Dealing with young minds and eradicating poverty by creating unending employment requires a lot of investment and we need well to do individuals, firms, and the Government at both state and federal level to come in and support in training and equipping these young minds so we keep them off the street.

Other Projects and Activities

The face of Omas will be coming soon with the view of uplifting the girl child. The foundation for hope is already catering for children in orphanage homes amidst plans to do some big charitable works and medical outreach in villages. Omas studios TV has already started filming programs and TV contents for the general public. “My story” has been shot with the 1st episode already out on YouTube.

To young women who want to go into business

First of all, clearly understand your vision and follow it up. Have passion for your business. Passion is what drives you in any business, not minding how much you earn, but to bring an end product of perfection/excellence. Be a person of integrity, never be a two-sided person in business. Make the Holy spirit your everyday companion. “Women should be goal oriented, women should focus on their goals and be intentional about them, the opportunities to excel in life are equal for men and women” -alluring_jloo

Business nugget

Do not worry about success at startup, stay dedicated and work towards being significant. With determination success will come naturally.

Why I am extending my business to Lagos

We have touched young lives in Port Harcourt and we are doing the same in Abuja, why not Lagos? We are excited to see Omas World of Glamour enter the Lagos market. We have been able to provide our clients with media production services that produce measurable results as well as insights for future expansion and now we are here in Lagos. This will be an advantage for customers in the south western part of Nigeria, as we are here to provide them with the best delivery and pricing” She stated. The most exciting facet that we look forward to is continuous development, allowing us to achieve our vision of being the foremost media production company with a global outlook.

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Meet Charlette Desire N’Guessan, 26-Year-Old Ivorian Award-Winning Software Engineer And Tech Entrepreneur.

Charlette Desire N’Guessan is a 26-year-old Ivorian born award winning Software Engineer and Tech Entrepreneur.

he is the co-founder and CEO of BACE Group, a Ghana based FinTech company that provides digital services to financial institutions.

In September 2020, she became the first woman to win the Royal Academy of Engineering’s prestigious Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, for her work building a system called BACE API.

The BACE API software uses Artificial Intelligence and facial recognition to verify the identities of African people remotely and in real time.

“We’re revolutionizing customer experience through our application programming interface (APIs) that secure client identity and KYC data with OCR and facial recognition technology. We aim to change the way cyber security functions and reduce identity fraud, which is a prevalent issue in Africa and across the world,” said Charlette.

Charlette Desire N’Guessan, Software Engineer and Tech Entrepreneur

“I’m happy when people are inspired by my story, being the first woman to win the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation and by my work as a woman in tech,” she added.

As her own way to encourage women entrepreneurs who are trying to make a mark in the STEM space, she said,
“I invite them to invest in their education because the way to success is the way of the continuous pursuit of knowledge. They need to be more confident and open to working with men in the industry. There is no competition, everyone has their place at the table. Learn, explore, and trust the process.”

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Meet Dr. Purity Ngina, Kenya’s Youngest PhD Holder in Biomathematics

Dr Ngina is the co-founder and CEO of Ceiling Breakers Limited, a company aimed at building young people to take up leadership positions in their respective fields and in their society.

She is a Lecturer at the Institute of Mathematics Science, Strathmore University. She is also Start Your Impossible – Ambassador (Kenya) a campaign sponsored by Toyota to encourage humility to break the glass ceilings.

In 2018, at age 28, Dr Ngina inked her name in Kenya’s history books as the youngest Kenyan to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Biomathematics from Strathmore University, Kenya.

Dr Purity Ngina with her PhD certificate

Biomathematics is a branch of applied mathematics that uses mathematical models to bring solutions to phenomena in biology.

Her other qualifications includes a Bachelor’s degree in Science Teacher Education and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Egerton University, Kenya.

“Getting a first class is not as hard as people think! It actually depends on you as a person. You must be motivated by something or someone greater. For me, I had a vision and a mission: to be the best and successful.”

Her inviting smile and friendly ways are unique traits that allow Purity’s light to shine amidst a long line of other high achievers.

These attributes allow her to stand out as a mathematical model of success that her students can look to in order to equate their own aspirations in life.

As a young lady on the long and at times dimly lit corridors of academia, Purity shines her light on the paths of many ambitious youth who possess the drive and require a little reassurance that the outcome will be one to be proud of.

As a word of encouragement to parents whose children are not doing as expected in school, she said,

“Personally, I failed in my KCPE. I scored 235 marks. I had to repeat the exam, yet here I am with a doctorate degree.”

“Life will always offer many more chances, so when they come your way, grab them! Parents should support their child irrespective of the marks they score. They will always be your children.”

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Meet Kenya’s First Female Drone Expert and Pilot, Anne Nderitu

Anne Nderitu is Kenya’s first female fixed-wing Drone Pilot.

She is an Aeronautical Engineer, Drone Expert and Chief Operating Officer at Kenya Flying Labs.

She holds a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng) Honours degree in Aeronautics Engineering from the Technical University of Kenya, a Trusted Level Operator (TOP) level 2 from African Drone and Data Academy, a Certificate of Drone Technology and Remote Pilot Licence from Virginia Tech, USA.

Anne has worked on various drone projects including Cholera Hyper-surveillance project to predict and mitigate outbreaks in Kenya.

She is a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), fellow and her goal is to create a positive impact across the world using technology

She is also an entrepreneur and advocate for gender equality.

Through her foundation, The Girls Boardroom, she mentors girls and ladies to take opportunities and grow their careers. The Girls Boardroom is a platform that empowers women to reach their full potential. Women are able to collaborate, network and share advice on a safe and secure platform while tackling their daily career challenges.

Her mission is to create more women leaders and bridge the gap that exists at the top of the chain.

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Meet Marta Vânia Uetela : Mozambican Mechanical Engineer, and Entrepreneur Changing the Lives of Amputees with her Prostheses.

Marta Vânia Uetela is a Mozambican born Mechanical Engineer, Certified Welder and Entrepreneur that is committed to changing the lives of amputees with her prostheses.

While some despair and cower in the face of challenges, there are those who choose to make the best out of any challenges. They search for opportunities in the midst of challenges by rolling up their sleeves in search of a solution.

This is what happened with Marta Vania Uetela, an entrepreneur and student of mechanical engineering, who after seeing the difficulties a friend with an amputated leg faced in acquiring a prosthesis, decided to help him overcome this challenge by producing a custom-made prosthesis so that he could continue to do activities and live a life with fewer limitations.

She is the Founder and Industrial Designer at BioMec Prosthetics, producers of high performance prostheses based on plastic collected from the oceans, aimed at increasing access to artificial limbs at reasonable prices, using a technology that increases compatibility between the residual limb and prosthesis creating comfort.

BioMec’s prostheses meet the needs and functions of individuals who suffer from amputations, traumas, or physical disabilities at birth.

“After some research we realized that 90% of amputees in Mozambique do not have access to prostheses, either because of the high prices, time taken to obtain them, or even access to health care. The other 10% who do have access don’t feel very confident and safe due to the prosthesis design itself and prices are inaccessible.”

“Using the plastic residuals from only 6 bottles or 250g of fish net discarded in the ocean we’re able to build a prosthesis for someone who has suffered an amputation below the knee,” said Marta.

According to Marta, the key to success is persistence: “everything is complicated, but we must be bold and willing to take risks. My appeal to young entrepreneurs is not to give up the journey”.

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Meet Captain Irene Koki Mutungi : Africa’s First Female Boeing 787 Dreamliner Captain

Captain Irene is Kenya Airways’ first female Pilot and Captain, she commanded first father/daughter flight and first all female flight in Africa.

Her father was a Pilot at Kenya Airways, flying with him from a very young age ignited her passion to became a Pilot and she never looked back.

At age 17, she attended flight school at Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, where she obtained her Private Pilot’s License. She went to obtain her Commercial Pilot’s License from the Federal Aviation Administration, USA.

Captain Irene Koki Mutungi.

In spite of challenges she encountered during her training, Captain Irene Koki managed to rise through the ranks.

Far from having complexes, she maintains a cordial relation with her colleagues.

In her words,  “I feel at ease in what I’m doing, whether it is during late working hours, days off and my working hours, everything goes well for me. I cannot work in a structured environment, although air transport industry is structured in its own ways.”

“My first flight was just few days before I turned 18 and it was the most amazing experience. My most memorable flight was the one I got to do with my father, it was his last flight in the airline, he chose to retire early and wind up his career with a flight he did with me and that was very memorable,” said Captain Irene Koki Mutungi.

After obtaining her Commercial Pilot’s License, she returned to Kenya and was hired by Kenya Airways, as their first female Pilot and she has been with the airline for more than 2 decades. She is currently commanding a Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”.

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