STEMpower announced that it had planned to expand across Africa this year by establishing 20 more STEM centers.
STEMpower Ethiopia's Country Director, Simenew Keskes (PhD), told The Ethiopian Herald that the organization envisions achieving technology-driven development in Ethiopia and other African countries through practical STEM education, aiming to cover every African country by 2025.
Operating in about 35 African countries, the organization has provided access to practical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to more than 2 million Africans. However, Simenew noted that, given the continent's large population, this number remains insufficient.
Therefore, the organization is striving to reach the remaining 20 more countries and cover the entire continent this year. He emphasized that this is not an easy task, as each center is funded by a single philanthropist, Mark Gelfand.
STEMpower Ethiopia works on establishing centers and overseeing their functionality throughout the year. It strengthens existing centers and ensures that training continues year in and year out.
Simenew explained that engineers from the Ethiopian office travel to each African country to install facilities and train STEM center professionals.
According to the Country Director, trainees who utilize the organization's services have the potential to become innovators, developing technological solutions for local problems. This local intervention can save foreign currency by reducing the need for imported technology.
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STEMpower CEO, Edwin Kumfa, stated that the organization, which supports STEM education in Africa, began its operations in Ethiopia before expanding to other African countries.
He noted that partnerships are being strengthened, and equipment has already been purchased to promote the same concept across Africa.
Several African countries have expressed interest in receiving the organization's support and expanding its initiatives. According to Kumfa, Agenda 2063 of the African Union can only be achieved when all Africans actively contribute to "the Africa that we want."
In this regard, he highlighted the crucial role of youth in achieving the agenda. Therefore, STEMpower is investing in young people to help them become innovators and entrepreneurs, which will create jobs, foster new technologies, and enhance global competitiveness.
Promoting science and technology development will help African nations achieve growth by drawing lessons from the developed world, he stated.
Kumfa expressed that, based on his experience at the science fairs organized by STEMpower, it is possible to achieve development in Africa if every stakeholder contributes their fair share, particularly in STEM education.
The organization has called for partners to join hands in empowering African youth and promoting technology-driven development to achieve "the Africa we want" agenda.
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2025
