Tanzanian women urged to partake in STEM Summit

NAIROBI: Tanzanian women have been strongly encouraged to take part in the upcoming Women in STEM Summit and Awards 2026 scheduled in Nairobi, Kenya on October 9th, this year.

Organised by Kenyan based organisation Be The Engineer, the summit brings together women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to learn, connect, celebrate their achievements and inspire the next generation.

This is the fifth edition, and for the first time, it has been opened up to the wider East African community, bringing together participation from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda.

“The Summit is a platform for women in STEM to have meaningful conversations around career growth, leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, mentorship and the realities of navigating STEM careers.

“It is also a space for women to network, share experiences, learn from one another and build meaningful professional relationships,” Be The Engineer founder Ms Brenda Rombo said in Dar es Salaam recently.

She added that later, in the evening of the same day, they will host the Women in STEM Awards, designed to celebrate women who are making an impact in STEM through their careers, innovations, leadership, research, businesses, communities and mentorship.

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“We want to build a strong pipeline of women in STEM across East Africa and create opportunities for them to participate, grow and lead,” she said.

Commenting on who are they targeting to attend, she disclosed that it is open to a broad STEM community, working women in STEM in different industries and backgrounds.

“Girls and young women aspiring to pursue STEM careers, university students, engineers, scientists, technologists, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, educators, STEM organisations, employers, industry leaders and policymakers.

“We also want organisations and institutions that believe in diversity, inclusion and the development of STEM talent to be part of the conversation.

“However, this is not an event against men or boys…men are part of the STEM ecosystem and are welcome to participate, support, mentor, collaborate and contribute.

“The goal is not to create another gender divide. It is to bring different people, experiences, skills and perspectives together because we need all of that if we are going to solve the complex problems Africa is facing,” Ms Rombo said.

According to her, the day will begin with the Women in STEM Summit, featuring keynote sessions, panel discussions and candid conversations around career growth, leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, mentorship and the future of STEM in Africa.We call 360 degrees Summit because we look at the woman in STEM all round.

As an organization, Be The Engineer, through this Women in STEM Summit and its other initiatives, has reached more than 5,000 girls and women, and we have supported the establishment of 10 STEM labs in schools.