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Role-modeling Events

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Welcome to the AWARD Role-modeling Events page, where you can read about how women agricultural scientists are giving back to their communities. Here, we will be posting stories from all 11 countries in which our AWARD Fellows work.

AWARD Fellows practice their leadership skills and share their knowledge within the broader community by organizing a role-modeling event. Such events may take the form of a special university seminar, or an inspiring talk at a secondary school, community workshop, workplace, career fair, farmer’s market, or other similar activity. This sharing increases fellows’ visibility, while encouraging youth to consider science—particularly agriculture research—as a viable career option.

To date, more than 23,000 people (primarily female high school students) have been involved in role-modeling events led by AWARD Fellows.

Zambian Girls Learn about Opportunities in Agricultural Science

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AWARD Fellow Nkumbu Mutwale, a research officer at the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, recently spoke to some 250 female students at Kabunda Girls Secondary School in Mansa, Zambia, a poor rural area where people earn their livelihoods through fishing and cassava cultivation. Early marriages are common here and education is not always valued.

“I met in advance with the head teacher, who gave an overview of the school and the challenges it faces: early marriages, poor reading culture, and missed lessons,” says Mutwale. Her main focus was to encourage the girls and motivate them to aim high despite their circumstances. Teachers, farmers, and researchers also participated.