The association Sciences et Technologies au Féminin announced on Monday, October 26, 2026, in Abidjan that it has raised awareness among more than 14,000 girls and young women about scientific and technological fields since its establishment in 2016.
This report was presented by its founder and president, Christelle Ogo, during a press conference dedicated to the organization’s ten-year anniversary. The organization conducts workshops, training sessions, mentoring activities, and campaigns aimed at encouraging girls to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, collectively known by the acronym STEM.
The announced scope is therefore not limited to university recruitment. The stated strategy also targets secondary school students, their families, and educators, with the aim of influencing orientation choices upstream and supporting female students already enrolled in these fields.
Sciences and Technologies for Women was founded on November 16, 2016, at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Abidjan, where Christelle Ogo was then studying physics. The institution still presents the organization as an association of current and former students with the goal of increasing the representation of girls and women in scientific fields.
The structure was formalized in 2019 with the support of UNESCO. In a report published in 2023, the UN organization listed approximately 200 members spread across eight public universities and two teacher training institutes.
This program had also enabled the training of 30 STEM ambassadors and prepared an awareness campaign targeting 2,000 young girls in 25 schools. These older data described specific components and cannot be added to the total claimed in 2026.
The association is now preparing the 2026 edition of the Empow’Her Science Expo, scheduled for November 26 and 27 in Abidjan. The event aims to bring together students, university students, and professionals around science, innovation, research, and engineering.
The announced program notably includes a project presentation competition open to secondary school students and higher education students. Candidates can propose an idea, a solution, or a prototype in a STEM field, with a system of visibility, support, and rewards for the selected projects.
