The STEM Hub for Empowerment of Young Girls (SHE) program, organised by the Centre for Integrated Health Programs in Lagos, has graduated 60 girls from its third cohort, where they received coding and advanced technology training. Supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the SHE program provides young girls with digital skills in areas like coding, technology, and engineering.
The program has provided training in social media marketing, life skills, mental health support, and financial literacy to girls who otherwise lack access to these resources. To date, 180 girls have graduated from the program across three cohorts, with 60 completing the most recent batch.
The initiative is offered free of charge to participants, who are selected based on a national vulnerability index developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.
According to Dr. Bola Oyeledun, CEO of CIHP in Lagos, the program targets highly vulnerable girls, using a national index to assess their level of need. The aim is to empower these girls by equipping them with skills and confidence to overcome their challenges and succeed in life.
Oyeledun highlighted that the SHE program goes beyond STEM education by offering life skills training, mentorship, and wellness initiatives. For instance, she noted that many girls have never had access to dignity kits containing essential hygiene items like sanitary pads.
She also shared that as the girls complete the program, they are placed in internships and matched with mentors to ensure continued support in their career paths. During the graduation ceremony for the third cohort of the SHE program, Opeyemi Eniola, the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, emphasised that the program has provided training and transformed lives. She noted that this aligns with the governor’s agenda to ensure inclusivity and that no one is left behind.
Eniola emphasised that the government is making significant strides, and this program adds to its ongoing efforts in the education sector.
CIHP Future Plans for Boys
Emmanuel Eneh, a CIHP board member, encouraged the graduates to take advantage of the many opportunities ahead, especially in the fast-growing IT industry. He pointed out that they have gained valuable engineering, technology, and science skills, urging them to put these skills to good use. As an IT professional himself, Eneh mentioned that if any of the graduates reached his level of expertise, he would be glad to mentor and support them.
Eneh confirmed that the CIHP is considering extending a similar program to support boys in the future. At the graduation ceremony for the STEM Hub for Empowerment of Young Girls (S.H.E) program, one of the graduates, Oghini Oluwatunmininu, shared her inspiring journey. She described her time at the hub as enjoyable, highlighting how the mental health classes empowered her to speak up and maintain her mental well-being. The life skills class also taught her how to be assertive and when to say yes or no.