Alice (Ngoga) Mukashyaka illuminates the planet from Rwanda

13 enero, 2023

Actualidad planetaria, ECOGENIOSNo Comments

From an article published on womendeliver.org we present this wonderful EcoGeniusYouth Alice (Ngoga) Mukashyaka.

 

I want to witness a world with equal access to education, opportunities, and safety. Let’s make it possible by raising voices of the young girls from vulnerable and conflict-affected communities.

– Alice (Ngoga) Mukashyaka

@alicem2016 Twitter     @ ngogaalice Instagram

Alice (Ngoga) Mukashyaka was born and raised in Rwanda. She is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in global challenges from African Leadership University.

As Co-founder at Starlight — an ed-tech company that makes STEM learning kits, which is using solar lamp kits and other projects, and introduces students to STEM careers, mentorship, and role models – Ngoga leads operations of the organization. As Country Director at the Refugee Education Project (REP), she leads the Rwandan REP team and students by investing in young African refugee students and helping them access quality advanced education in Rwanda.

Additionally, Ngoga is Secretary of Youth Think Tank Researcher Governance Committee, an IEP Peace Ambassador, and Imbuto Foundation mentor.

Alice Mukashyaka was involved with research in a refugee community in her native Rwanda, now she is co-founder of edtech social enterprise Starlight, to help teach young people –especially girls– how to pursue a career in STEM.

What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?

I live to witness an equal world where both males and females will have equal rights to opportunities. From my engineering classroom at university, I saw inequality, and I knew that it wasn’t right. Again in my research work with the refugee community, I heard many voices of young girls who are mistreated by both parents and their communities because they are girls. I believe that this is my turn to raise my voice.

Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.

I conducted research in partnership with Plan International on adolescent girls and young women in refugee camps to determine what their priorities are. The data we collected will be used to develop a call to action, advising on what support they need from local, national, and global stakeholders to achieve their goals. This call to action will be shared when the Commonwealth Heads of Government come together in Rwanda.

Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?

In my spare time, I enjoy nature, traveling, meditation, interior design, drawing, spending time with my niece, and reading books.

«Recently one of the girls we engaged in our last projects asked me, ‘Alice -you are an engineer, I wasn’t sure if girls could pursue these careers?’ And I said, ‘Yes, you can!»»