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Empowering Girls in STEM: A Journey through the TechGirls Program”

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Ruqayya Yushau Yusuf at the White House

Ruqayya Yushau Yusuf

In a world where science and technology offer endless opportunities, the TechGirls program becomes a source of empowerment for young girls and women worldwide. This story shares the meaningful journey from applying to the program to its conclusion.

The journey begins unexpectedly, with a WhatsApp message from my brother, Mujahid, about the TechGirls Program to my sister. It was just two days before the application deadline. We sat down and looked at the criteria, and deep inside me, I believed I was qualified. Fueled by a strong passion for technology and a desire to challenge gender norms, we wholeheartedly embraced the challenge and applied to represent Northern Nigerian Muslim girls in STEM fields.

Sheila Ogle Host mom at Colorado

Sheila Ogle Host mom at Colorado

Crafting the application quickly yet carefully becomes a devoted task. We sat down and began writing the application. I drafted my thoughts, gave it to my brothers and sisters to proofread and offer suggestions, edited and re-edited, and I was able to beat the deadline. Then, boom, an email came from the TechGirls committee that I was shortlisted for an interview. A follow-up call to my brother by Mrs. Carolyn Seaman followed. She was so happy and told my brother I should prepare well and not feel intimidated. We sat down and began doing mock interviews with my siblings. I was excited yet nervous. Advancing to the interview stage brings a mix of excitement and nerves.

The interview day arrived, and I logged in, waiting for my turn. I waited until it was my time around 12. The preparations I did really assisted, and as the interview progressed, I felt at home. It ended, and the waiting period for successful nominees started. My sisters began to tease me, asking when I was going to the US, and we would laugh over it.

With fellow Tech Girls at Washington Capitol Hill

With fellow Tech Girls at Washington Capitol Hill

On Friday, March 10th, the exciting email arrived, stating that I was selected for the TechGirls program together with 3 other fantastic girls: Ayomide from Kaduna, Amanda from Enugu, and Tofunmi from Lagos. The joy of acceptance was unmatched. We were the Lucky Four Nigerian girls out of 1000 applicants.

Then preparations began, from getting my Passport which nearly delayed our visa process, to going to Abuja for the visa process. The support of Carolyn Seaman, the Local Engagement coordinator, was awesome. She hosted Zoom calls to help us familiarize ourselves with one another. She assisted and made us feel at home at the US Embassy in Abuja. We met physically with Ayomide, and our friendship began.

With fellow Colleagues at Class Virginia Tech,Virginia State United States

With fellow Colleagues at Class Virginia Tech,Virginia State United States

With visas secured, we prepared and began packing our clothes and souvenirs to take along. We traveled to Lagos for our pre-departure orientation session. A day at the consulate provided us with valuable insights about travel logistics, scholarships, and opportunities in the United States. This session expanded our horizons even before departure.

We went exploring the vibrant city of Lagos, which provided a glimpse into Nigeria’s cultural heritage. A visit to the University of Lagos connected participants with dedicated female doctors in STEM, fostering inspiration through shared knowledge.

Amidst preparations, the time came for farewells at the consulate. Emotions ran high as participants embarked on this life-changing journey with the support of their loved ones. The airport beckoned, and the local coordinator, now our flight chaperone, ensured a smooth transition from Nigeria to the United States.

Arriving at Washington’s Dulles Airport, excitement filled the air. With a TechGirls’ residential assistant, participants headed to the Crown Plaza Hotel, our residence upon arrival.

My initial interactions with fellow TechGirls from different countries at the hotel made me feel at home and created instant connections. After settling in and saying goodbye to Carolyn, we started our TechGirls journey.

We began exploring the city, visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and immersing ourselves in the world of aviation and space exploration.

Preparations for our time at Virginia Tech became a priority. An early departure marked the start of the journey to the campus. The four-hour bus ride to Virginia Tech offered breathtaking landscapes.

Living in dorms helped participants make connections and build friendships from the start. The campus dining hall became a hub for meals and social interactions.

Classes began, requiring early mornings. Participants were grouped based on interests, like environmental engineering. Dedicated professors and teaching assistants led engaging sessions and offered support.

Classes evolved into hands-on projects, exploring real-world applications in labs. Trips to places like the New River allowed participants to apply classroom knowledge to practical settings.

Leadership classes and community action projects enriched the experience, fostering responsibility and the application of skills for positive change.

Evenings were marked by bonding through games, discussions, and sharing experiences. These moments created lasting friendships.

Exploring the campus showcased its lively atmosphere, while community action project presentations demonstrated dedication to meaningful impact.

Transitioning to Washington D.C., visits to iconic landmarks and institutions like NASA expanded participants’ horizons and insights into American history and governance.

Challenges, including dietary adjustments, were overcome with help from program staff and Resident Assistants.

Returning home wasn’t the end; the transformative impact of the TechGirls program propelled participants towards further empowerment and community change.

The commitment to supporting potential applicants highlighted the program’s importance. Gratitude was expressed to parents, family, and supporting entities for their roles in this transformative journey. We ended the program after staying with host families to experience US culture, did a shadow job placement and ended with a cultural night and crying session.
We arrived Nigeria on the 2nd of August 2023.

In conclusion, the TechGirls program is a transformative journey, emphasizing empowerment and fostering a commitment to positive change in STEM and beyond for young girls.

As the journey came to an end, we stepped into a new chapter armed with experiences, friendships, and knowledge. My deep gratitude is extended to our families, friends, and my fellow TechGirls. Their unwavering support made this journey possible. To Ayomide, Tofunmi and Amanda I remain grateful for your support and friendship. Together we will change the narrative

Moreover, heartfelt thanks go to the U.S. Consulate, TechGirls coordinators, and Legacy International for this invaluable opportunity, which has had a lasting impact on personal and academic growth. To Carolyn Seaman, I say Thank You for the motherly Support and Role

This journey has been a privilege, recognizing the collective efforts of individuals and organizations.

“The TechGirls program has changed my perspective, aspirations, and belief in STEM’s limitless possibilities. It’s not just a program; it’s a life-changing journey that empowers me to break barriers and embrace a future I once only dreamed of.”

Ruyya Yushau Yusuf is an incoming SS 3 Students at Hasiyanda International Schools Kano ,North Western Nigeria

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Features

How Maryam Abacha Varsity Produced 5 Provosts of Nursing Colleges, 1,000 Lab Scientists, 100 Lawyers, Others in 12 Years

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Twelve years after its establishment, the Maryam Abacha American University of Niger (MAAUN), in Maradi, Niger Republic, has produced five Provosts of Nursing Colleges in Borno, Yobe, and Bauchi States.

Dr. Hadiza Sabo a graduate of Nursing from the University is the current Provost of Shehu Sule College of Nursing and Midwifery, in Damaturu, Yobe state.

Varsity Appoints Gombe Emir As Chancellor

Equally, Dr. Hadiza Yahya is serving as Provost, College of Nursing Sciences in Maiduguri, Borno state, while Dr. Rakiya Saleh is the Provost College of Nursing Sciences in Bauchi, Bauchi state. The trio of Rakiya and the two aforementioned Hadizas all bagged their first and postgraduate degrees from MAAUN.

In addition, Kiloh Nifor who is also the Provost, College of Nursing Sciences in Jalingo, Taraba state, and Dr. Yusuf Bello, the Provost, Kaduna State College of Nursing Sciences, are also alumni of the university.

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MAAUN, which was founded in 2013, is owned by Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, a philanthropist and French Linguistics scholar.

Politics Digest also reports that the Faculty of Law of the premier Ivory Tower, established only in 2015, has produced over 400 law graduates, with more than a hundred of them already called to the Nigerian Bar.

In addition, over 1,000 Medical Laboratory Scientists produced by MAAUN are presently working in Nigeria, while no fewer than 700 of them are practicing abroad.

It would be recalled that the institution was the first to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in Niger Republic, where thousands of nursing officers trooped for their university education from different countries.

“The Nursing Degree programme greatly increased the number of nursing graduates in Nigeria. The university started offering Nursing in 2012 and has so far graduated over 2,000 graduates who are rendering their services at different hospitals in Nigeria and abroad,” said the university’s President, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo.

Barrister Umar Isa Sulaiman, a law lecturer at MAAUN, while informing Politics Digest that their Faculty commenced academic activities in 2013, said: “Our graduates are working in different government agencies and parastatals. Some are Sharia Court Judges, Magistrates, and some are working in the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“Also, a high number of our graduates are in private practice. We do meet and appear before different courts. I can categorically tell you that they are doing wonderfully well as advocates.”

Furthermore, the Prof. Adamu Gwarzo-owned university has been positively impacting the lives of several Nigerians.

A MAAUN graduate of Nursing, Hamisu Iliyasu, who hailed from Sokoto State, told this newspaper how his alma mater produced many Directors and Heads of Nursing Colleges in Nigeria.

“You know universities in the North don’t offer Nursing; you either go to the South or you end up retiring at Level 14 as a civil servant. But our prestigious Maryam Abacha American University came to the rescue of so many of us, and we are grateful,” he said.

According to Dr. Kabiru Mahmud, a staff member of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Department of MAAUN, “Our great and pace-setting university has helped increase the number of Medical Laboratory Scientists, not only in Northern Nigeria but in the country at large. We have students from across the country.

“Some came from Lagos, Benin, and Ibadan. I can categorically tell you that Maryam Abacha American University of Niger has the highest number of young Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria.

“Before now, one could hardly find someone with a degree in this field, but only a Diploma. But MAAUN came and provided the opportunity to many undergraduates. Go to Federal Medical Centres across the country, and you will find it difficult counting the number of their staff who are our products.”

Checks by this newspaper further revealed that some MAAUN alumni are presently working at the National Hospital in Abuja and the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH, in Kano state.

The university according to findings has the highest number of Nurses working in Canada, USA and other foreign countries from West Africa.

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Features

Hotoro Residents Threaten to Vote Out Leaders in 2027 Over Dilapidated Road

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The untarred and dilapidated road

Residents of Hotoro in Kano State are voicing their growing frustration with local and state leaders over the deplorable condition of a key road in their community. In interviews with Nigerian Tracker, the residents expressed deep dissatisfaction and issued a warning that they may withhold their votes in the 2027 elections if their concerns continue to be ignored.

Shehu Usman, a long-time resident of Hotoro, articulated the sentiments of many in the area. “Our area is a vote bank, not just in Nassarawa Local Government but across the whole of Kano State,” Usman said. “Yet, the road is no longer passable in both the rainy and dry seasons, and those we elected—from the Governor to the Chairman and even the legislators—seem not to care about the deplorable state of this road.

The road in question, which remains untarred, stretches from the Ring Road around Nur Petroleum Junction, passes through Hotoro Primary and Secondary Schools, and ends at the Hotoro Police Division. The poor state of the road has been a long-standing issue, but despite repeated complaints, nothing has been done to address it.

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Iliya Musa, another concerned resident, lamented that politicians only seem to care about the community during election season. “During election season, politicians flock to our area, making promises and shaking hands. But once they are in office, they turn a deaf ear to our problems,” Musa said. “This road could easily be constructed, but our leaders have ignored us, and now, it feels like the area is turning into a slum.”

As 2027 approaches, the residents of Hotoro are making it clear that their votes will not be taken for granted. If their elected leaders fail to address the worsening conditions in the community, they may face a harsh electoral backlash from a constituency that has had enough of broken promises.

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A Brief About Journalist and Whistleblower, Bello Galadanchi

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Bello Galadanchi a.k.a Dan Bello was born in State College, Pennsylvania on December 12, 1987 to Habeeb and Halisa Galadanchi. After birth, he spent hi childhood and early adolescence with his family in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, where he attended school with his siblings.

Throughout his time in Africa Bello worked a variety of jobs, including street food vending, construction, and helping run his father’s medical practice. One of his first jobs was the fabrication and sale of handmade footwear such as rope sandals and a special type of sabot heel native to Nigeria called aa “kumazie.”

Upon matriculation in 2006, his parents offered him education back in the United States, where Bello attended The Pennsylvania State University as a Bioengineering and Classical History double major and Film Studies and African Studies minors.

Considered a gifted young man, he graduated from university in 2009 with two degrees and two minor certificates and immediately entered the film industry, producing such short films as Charles in Arms, Unknowing Separation, Water for Baby, and Taken by Storm.

His first film projects were prompted by various contests and promotional programs and soon became well-known to his former university circles. In late 2011, Bello received a grant from the Nigerian Film Festival and Nollywood, to produce various political films for the Nigerian government.

It was this opportunity that lend itself to Bello’s fame in that the new funding allowed him to make films in Pennsylvania and become more noticed. When not filmmaking, Bello spends his time volunteering in his community, making new friends in the city and writing narrative novel- IMDb Mini Biography By: Sand.

A dual citizen of the USA and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, writer/director Bello Galadanchi, made a name for himself after winning numerous awards at short film festivals around the globe. In 2012, at just 24, he wrote, directed and co-produced the feature film, A Dark Place.

Prior to making films Galadanchi obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering. Having also minored in sociology, the soft spoken filmmaker credits the “thought provoking” storylines commonly associated with his work to his humble upbringing in Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria.

Owner of Dalar Pictures, Galadanchi is also co-founder of To the Moon Productions, along with actor R. Tariq Powell. The filmmaker currently resides in central Pennsylvania.

 

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