STEMbees® is a non-governmental organisation focused on encouraging and mentoring more young African females to pursue their dreams and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Our goal is to increase the participation and visibility of girls and women in STEM so we might help minimize the gender gap. We are building a community of Sisters in STEM, a SiSTEM.

STEMbees was founded by Linda Ansong, Angela Koranteng and Lady-Omega Hammond in 2014.

The initiative was sparked in December 2013 during our entrepreneurial training in Software Development at MEST Africa.

After being one of the few women in our undergrad STEM courses (Civil Engineering, Actuarial Science and Geomatic Engineering) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), we yet again experienced a gap – just four women out of twenty (20) trainees for our cohort at MEST Africa.

The previous cohort had a woman, who left half-way through the program and the cohort after ours, well, just had one more woman than ours. 

We have observed that STEM is often skewed towards men and boys as well as for those with access to resources i.e. the elite and averagely well-to-do. 

As females in the STEM space, we have first-hand experience about the challenges minorities face in pursuing STEM. We also know the benefits and the versatility our STEM education has given us. 

Hence, the birth of STEMbees, to encourage and support girls and young women – especially those from underserved areas and low socio-economic backgrounds –  to pursue their education and build their careers in the STEM.