“While it’s important to celebrate the incredible achievements of Black female scientists, it’s also important to remember that the lack of diversity in science is a result of much more than just underreporting. We need to do more than just recognise the contributions of women and underrepresented minorities to the scientific community. We need to make it easier for others to follow in their footsteps.” – Grace Blackshaw
In 2015, I came up with the idea to document the stories of Kenyan female engineers primarily because many high school students that I interacted with during mentorship sessions had never really met any other female engineer besides me. I enlisted the help of my friend Marian who, in 2016, converted that idea into what is today recognised as Queengineers. 5 years later, Issue 1 and Issue 2 have been viewed online over 5,900 times. We have donated 40 hard copies to schools and community libraries. Most significantly though, we have held mentorship sessions with more than 300 young girls since we started using this tool to provide role models and expand their imagination in an attempt to encourage more of them to consider a career in engineering.
We hope to continue sharing these stories with a wider audience and continuously challenge ourselves and others to not only imagine but also actively participate in creating a world where gender parity in the engineering profession is a reality. It is worth noting that there has been some progress in improving representation in the Kenyan engineering sector over the past 5 years. For instance, the 2020 leadership council of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya presents an encouraging picture.
However, statistics from the Engineers Board of Kenya website in September 2020, illustrate that more still needs to be done. Kenyan engineering professionals are broadly registered under three categories (across all disciplines) in ascending order of seniority: graduates, professionals and consultants.
- Of the 16,772 registered graduate engineers, only 1,926 are female
- Of the 2,032 registered professional engineers, only 145 are female
- Of the 415 registered consulting engineers, only 11 are female
Working on Queengineers over the past few years has taught me a few lessons on leading that I would like to share. The first is that to consistently produce good results in any sphere of life, you require rigour and discipline. Good intentions coupled with effort and a keen eye for detail often result in high quality outputs. The second is that collaboration allows you to generate results, faster. Were it not for the 40 professionals who agreed to have their stories told and Marian, whose time and creativity it took to design the first two issues, I would still probably be struggling with the idea in my head with nothing to show for it. Collaboration is one of the most powerful tools to leverage when building things. Ask for help, you’d be surprised how readily available it is.
The third is that as a leader you must find the courage to start badly. A project that is done is more impactful than an idea that is perfect. As a pioneer, you need to trust that you will have room later to improve on the work and that you will get better at bringing your vision to life with some practise. Today, I am extremely proud to launch Queengineers Issue 3 because it demonstrates growth both in the form and substance of the magazine. This issue explores the theme of leadership through the lens of diverse Kenyan engineers. I hope our readers find some joy and inspiration from reading the stories of African women who are leaving their mark in the world, against all odds.
I am eternally grateful to my friends and fellow editors, Juliet and Marian, for making this issue a reality. Lastly, I’d like to thank an old friend, the cover girl and the inspiration behind the theme of this issue. Here’s to you, Mugure. Thank you for showing me how to be more.
This blog was written by Martha Wakoli, the editor of Queengineers. You can read blogs on the first two issues here and here. Click on this link to check out the latest issue! Enjoy the read.
This blog was written by Martha Wakoli, the editor of Queengineers. You can read blogs on the first two issues here and here. Click on this link to check out the latest issue! Enjoy the read.