Fadji Maina

"The people that inspire me the most are Nigerien women. They are so keen to make the lives of the future generation better."

"Studying the complexities of the Earth’s natural systems is most exciting to me. I really enjoy thinking about different ways to unravel some of these complexities. The water cycle is like a puzzle – it may take time to get the right pieces and put them together, but once it is done, it is beautiful to see how the story unfolds and comes together. It is fascinating to understand how a tiny piece of Mother Nature works and how human beings are altering the natural systems."

"Sometimes the place you are used to is not the place you belong. You belong where you believe you belong.” This is a quote from “Queen of Katwe”, a book by Tim Crothers and also a Disney film, narrating the story of a young Ugandan girl Phiona Mutesi, a chess prodigy, who overcame many stereotypes and broke a lot of barriers to become a woman candidate master after her victories at World Chess Olympiads."