Women Engineers From Ghana

"A strong female lead, gives a role model for girls to want to emulate."

"I intend to change perceptions with my story."

"I was frustrated; frustrated with societal perception of people with disabilities and frustrated with reading about a foreigner's perspective of the "African Story", which usually involves wars, famines, AIDS and child soldiers. I think it is time for us to tell our own stories.Farida speaking on the inspiration for her writing"

"I didn’t set out to impact anybody. I set out to prove to myself and to society that I could be a successful software developer despite having a neurological condition."

"If you don’t have a passion for your product and you want to become an entrepreneur because of the money, close up your business and look for a well-paying job."

"The frustrations and disappointments that come with entrepreneurship can break you, but if you are in it because you want to make a difference or you believe in what you are producing, then that spurs you on."

"There is a lot of potential for fintech in this part of the world."

"All my life I’ve been told to remove the word ‘I can’t’ from my vocabulary and replace it with ‘I’ll try’ and by grace, everything I’ve tried I’ve been successful at."

"“People with disability don’t want preferential treatment we want the playing ground to be given so we can compete as competitively as anybody else.”"

"There was a time in Nigeria when I was the only lady on a rig with over 150 people. This piqued my interest to check with other fields in the STEM space and I realized it was quite common to find very few ladies in STEM careers."

"I believe I will see myself as successful when I have been able to significantly increase the percentage of women in STEM careers.Ohemaa in a interview"

"Africa has so much untapped human knowledge; so many people have not been able to identify the talents they have to solve challenges in society. Many young people at the early stage of life are not privy to the fact that STEM can transform society. I believe with more education, information and awareness, and by making opportunities available, we will be able to identify and help develop the amazing talent out there.Ohemaa speaking during an interview with the United nations."

"I will say my greatest achievement has been the ability to tailor my passion to help the younger generation through STEM. That is through GIST and PM STEAM Academy."

"What inspires me is the idea that we have the power to make things better for generations after us, to create a blue print worth following.Ohemaa speaking on her biggest inspiration"

"My message to the young ones is that STEM is not difficult. STEM is fun, it is the basis of our very existence. Don’t shy away from STEM subjects in school. Embrace it and apply the knowledge gained in your surroundings. Knock on doors to get opportunities and use the internet for research. There are so many opportunities out there waiting for you. Shine your light wherever you go!Ohemaa speakin during an interview with the United nations."

"I’ve encountered prejudice and sexism a few times. When I resumed my offshore duties after childbirth, a male colleague questioned why I’d leave my child to come work."

"My advice to young women or girls who wish to pursue a career in STEM is to dare to be different - just do it! There are others who are doing it and therefore it is possible, and even if no one has done it yet, pave the path and always remember to shine bright while doing this."

"we should all make that commitment, realign our thinking, and embrace the basic reality that women and men are equal and deserve equal opportunities."

"Both men and women must step-up their efforts for equality, build on the foundation that has already been established, make the required investments, develop partnerships with the corporate sector and civil society, and hold individuals responsible for their actions."

"The continuous lack of representation of women in political and economic decision-making constitutes a threat to women’s empowerment and gender equality."

"If women are empowered, we will be able to improve digital and financial inclusion, contribute to society and the economy, and help secure and preserve the environment for future generations."

"It’s okay to be vulnerable; it’s okay to show empathy. I think this is what female leaders are able to bring to the table and I would always advise them to embrace it as a quality and a strength. The fact we’re all talking about purpose is so encouraging because it brings a human side out in all of us."

"This future is not a distant dream – it is within our grasp, waiting to be realised through bold leadership and strategic investment in digital innovation."

"People can copy your products, but nobody can copy the way you drive emotion."

"If you operate in a community, the survival of the economy and the survival of that community depends on what you do, and it’s so linked to your business and how it thrives."

"overcoming gender inequality is a victory for everyone."

"we have a duty to challenge harmful gender norms and beliefs."

"As women, we only want to be able to use our untapped ideas, innovation, and talent for the good of society, country and the world."

"Our fight for gender equality is on a critical path and we need more role models."

"For every decision made, look at things objectively with a gender-oriented lens."

"It is picking up but we still have a long way to go. We first of all have to cultivate the habit of reading, before more people would be motivated to write. . Interview question- What is your view on the literary scene in Ghana?"

"They are both very demanding 'husbands' and one usually suffers slightly when the other is being attended to - which is why it has taken me this long to answer your questions. ."

"I was born in Lagos, Nigeria on 6th April,1979. I spent most of my childhood in the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Grenada, amongst other places. I landed on the shores of Accra in June 1988. Since I ended up spending most of my school-going years in developing countries, without special schools for children with disabilities, I was home schooled by my mom till I was 12 when I entered mainstream school for the first time. I started out from (Junior Secondary School) JSS 1 at Cambridge JSS (Korle-Gonno) but went to JSS 2 and 3 and wrote the (Basic Education Certificate Examination) BECE in Kaneshie Awudome 1 JSS. After which I went to a Diploma in the Management of Information Systems then I started working... In 2004, I got admission into the University of Hertfordshire (UK) to read a BSc in Computer Science and I was exempted from the first two years of the course. . Talking about her and education."

"But the insults must stop, if they don't stop it won't stop me, I will go ahead, I have a team with me and I think that I have Ghana with me. Because all want to develop Ghana so if people will throw mud that won't be a big deal."

"Am a mother and every mother has to deal with difficult situation so definitely in terms of stress, terms or whatever it takes I will be okay."

"What they presented to us was that they were looking for somebody who is incorruptible, who has competence, and who is interested in job creation, quality education, quality health, somebody who has proven him or herself and somebody who can stand firm for what is right."

"It’s very nice and encouraging that you are chosen from a process that you are not even aware off and that is all structured and it’s based on criteria, and that I wasn’t selected because I happen to be a woman."

"We had a lot of women’s associations from legal, security, education and from human rights. They were all there and they were all supportive and actually spoke and said they were very happy that the PPP has kept its promise."

"Overall, my idea has been to rise above all this! You know, once I know what my vision is, I tend to push all the negativity out of my way and keep moving forward. I choose to see my challenges as a normal part of life; something to learn from and make my way forward."

"The opportunity to go elsewhere to see how things are done elsewhere and to apply that knowledge in our context is very, very important. It gives you a global worldview when you go abroad to study but yes they must come back to help"

"I would also like to tell this young girl that she is not alone; sometimes we feel like we are isolated, especially on this STEM journey but no, there is support out there. There are people who have been where you are, find a mentor; someone who has been where you want to reach and can speak positively into your life."

"I like reading, a lot! I read anything, and everything. I also like listening to classical music. I find joy in catching up with my friends and classmates from all over the world."

"I also love travelling. Before the pandemic, I would get a chance, maybe once a year, to visit a place I have never been to. Even my conferences were opportunities to explore, haha."

"In 2011, I was a fellow of the International Women’s Forum Leadership program – the leadership foundation. I guess my application for this was strong because some of the activities I have done in education. This allowed me to go back to school – Harvard Business School and INSEAD, executive education programs. This was another opportunity for me to build my leadership skills and strengthen my ability to do the things I have been able to do and are still doing."

"I am also the host for a science quiz program called the National Science and Math Quiz, for secondary schools in Ghana. You will be amazed at what happens in this program, haha. So this is a month-long televised Science competition where all schools come together to find out who wins for that year. The whole country comes to a stand-still, everybody is watching because everyone is affiliated in one way or another to a school. My purpose here is to make people understand that you don’t have to be a science student to enjoy sciences. The applications of science are reachable and everywhere around us."

"Since 2017, I have been receiving all kinds of awards every year, haha. In 2017 itself I received the Impact Africa Summit award for education in Ghana; I am the Laureate for Ghana in education. It again has to do with my attitude towards promoting education in Ghana."

"In 2010 I received the best teacher award for sciences at my university – University of Ghana. This award was for the work I had done to help establish engineering plus the activities I do in my classes. Each of my classes has a course project because I want to change the narrative from just theoretical exposure in class to something more practical for my students. So my students know me for asking them to look for problems in their societies and come to class with them. They know that I don’t have all the solutions but I have a lot of experience; so if your solution is not feasible, I have the ability to point that out and give you suggestions on how to make it work."

"STEM is an excellent foundation. Don’t focus so much on the details at the beginning, rather about the skills you are acquiring in the process; logical thinking, critical thinking, analytical skills."

"I Don’t Say No To Help."

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."