#INSPIRED: CELEBRATING WOMEN WHO #MAKEITHAPPEN - CAMER STEM LADIES [PART 2]

Hello people..This is EP 2 of Camer Stem Ladies.. Check out Part 1 here..Hopefully this series will inspire more women and girls to join STEM fields and programs. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths.

Dr. Nkem Khumbah, Executive Curator of the Next Einstein Forum shares his perspective on the current state of STEM in Africa, challenges and opportunities and the need for a global forum for science in Africa and for Africa to decide on its scientific and development path

Meet 3 Ladies who #MakeITHappen in their  careers...

Dr. Michele Maison
I am a medical doctor originally from Yaounde, Cameroon. I got my MD from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Yaounde 1 in 2010, after a 7-year marathon. After graduation I worked in Bertoua, Cameroon, for 2 years, then I went to London to explore my keen interest in bugs and infected humans. I obtained an MSc in Tropical Medicine and International Health in 2014. At the moment I’m hoping to get into an internal medicine residency program. When I’m not in the hospital, I love cooking, reading, dancing, cackling with family and friends, piano and choral music.

I somewhat fell into medicine. After high school, the choices for science students in Cameroon were pretty limited-engineering school, unless you didn’t care for physics (like me), medical school, and then nursing/lab tech/chemistry... My brilliant older sister who was in med school already convinced me it was prestigious, fun and easy (hah!), and so I took the entrance exam into med school.  The first years did not much made sense, and all the studying was gruesome-but then we went to the hospital. I remember seeing my first patient- a man with heart failure- and watching him improve was mind-blowing. The application and impact of medicine still is, most days.

Being a doctor is… in many ways, one of the most fulfilling and scary things one can experience. I love working with adults, and what I enjoy most is trying to assemble clues from signs and symptoms to determine what is wrong, and how to help. Each person is a new and interesting challenge, with a unique story, and unique problems to address. Sometimes it’s hard, nothing makes sense, and you lose patients, but at the end of the day, the knowledge that you have helped improve someone’s health- a mum, husband, friend- is a reward like no other. For ladies interested in medicine, by all means go for it!  The days when most doctors were old men with white beards and spectacles are gone, and increasingly more women are joining the field. There are women in every medical field in the world, so let no one stop you. It’s hard, and long- but commitment, integrity, humility and a good dose of smart and humor will get you places.


Dr. Susan Enjema Aweh 

Susan Enjema Aweh alias Dr. SEA is a specialist consultant in internal medicine of Cameroonian origin practicing in Germany. However, her feet are firmly planted in both countries via various projects that promote and encourage Africans and Africa.

While in medical school, she was very socially and culturally engaged in her community. Through her efforts a good number of students travelled to do their internships in Cameroon among others. 

2007 she was awarded the DAAD Prize of Excellence for academics and socio-political engagement.

2013  and 2014  CAMFOMEDICS Acedemic Award laureate for being part of a team of doctors who launched a Continues Medical Education Academy “iMED” in September 2012 for medical professionals in Cameroon. 

Since 2005 she has regularly given back to the Cameroonian health care system through voluntary work in hospitals and seminars in Cameroon. 

As a facilitator within the African community in Germany, she has been very functional in the organization of various Empowerment and Economic Forums geared towards giving a perspective and improving the standard and quality of life of the African community in Germany. A few to be mentioned are:
the annual SOBAN People’s Empowerment Forum, SHESAN Business Forum, Neema, Afroruhr Festival. 2010 she initiated and worked on a documentary on the Cameroonian Diaspora in Germany, using the example of Challenge Camerounais, the biggest Cameroonian Diaspora event with about 8000 visitors, annually held in Germany. The documentary was released 2010 on Cameroon’s national television, CRTV.

Her  blog “A Sister in Germany” www.doctorsea.blogspot.com puts a limelight on successful people of African descend in Germany, using their stories to inspire others. 

2014 she made African Heritage Magazine's list of 100 most influential Africans in Germany.

Her most recent project in collaboration with Manunga Studios is "Ask Docta" which explains medicine in pidgin english. www.ask-docta.com

She is often invited to give talks at events as an inspirational speaker and role model to other immigrant women.

Why did you dedide to do medicine: medicne to me is destiny fulfilled. I can't exactly tell why but my mother's friends, older relatives and even my nursery school teacher still remember  I always ntroduced myself as Dr. Aweh. I insisted as early as a 2,5yrs old they call me that. There was no other doctor in the family so  I can't tell who  I was mimicking. Well today when I meet these people they go " so that ya Dr. Aweh cam turn na true true Dr. Aweh". To me its destiny fulfilled. Everday I go to work it is a chance to live my purpose. 

Why should girls be encouraged to do medicine: Medicine is all about life...now imagine life without a woman...That's enough reason for more girls to become medical doctors; because we are its core.

Miranda Oben

MIRANDA’s 3Ps: Private (Wife and Mum), Professional (IT Engineer) and Passion (Moderator)

A great Personage once said, “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value”, a trait that will become abundantly evident in this vain attempt to summarize the achievements of a very remarkable lady – Miranda OBEN. Hailing from humble beginnings, Miranda, fondly dubbed Mira, has transcended all boundaries to become the pride of her people and of a continent! From childhood, Miranda excelled academically and stood out for her lovely combination of beauty and brains! Exemplary through every field of endeavor and graduating as an IT Engineer with honors Mira currently works in a New York based Software Company represented globally. She is multilingual and her language proficiency, eloquence, quickness of wit and charismatic personality soon launched her into the arena of moderating addressing audiences of thousands of people internationally; a natural talent which landed her professional moderating roles in monumental events, too many to enumerate here! From conferences to state banquets, television appearances and radio shows both in Germany and abroad, she has assembled an extraordinary portfolio of achievements culminating in 2014 with being voted onto the prestigious list of 100 most influential Africans in Germany - surely, a veritable epitome of the 21st century career wife and mom!

 … yet, at the heart of this glamour is a young girl who dreamed of carrying the pride of her continent, Africa, on her shoulders and thus feels truly blessed to be here today. Mira is the Editor of the SGP Magazine and is solicited by the 10 leading organizations in the German Diaspora. Albeit the tight schedule of an IT Engineer and professional moderator, she still finds time to advocate for and support numerous humanitarian endeavors towards education and health to the needy in her home country. She is currently working on a water supply project for a community of about 600. Every year since 2009 Miranda travels back to her home country Cameroon where she holds a technology workshop with Secondary School students to help educate them and prepare them for the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Miranda, a loving wife and mother of one, has a particular tenderness for children and in 2014, under the patronage of His Excellency the Ambassador, initiated the highly acclaimed children's conference for teenage kids: “Our Kids and Their Future”!

Mira's greatest wish is to remain an inspiration to everyone, particularly her fellow Africans and women everywhere, whatever their dreams and aspirations. That: “it really does seem impossible until it is done”. You just have to believe in yourself! You make your own “footprints in the sands of time”!  

© Miranda OBEN http://mirandaoben.com/

Miranda was just nominated for the upcoming Cameroonian Career Women Awards in the United Kingdom in the Technology category


Thumbs up to Michele, Susan & Miranda.,Thank you for your inspiring stories.."Be the kind of girl who wants to make a difference. Dare to change the world". 

Interested in being featured. Please send your STEM profiles to irepcamer@gmail.com...

#BeInspired #Inspire

Have a nice weekend 

Y.M.
IRepCamer