For many girls, interest in science and technology can begin in the classroom, but turning that interest into a future career can depend on whether they have access to exposure, practical learning, mentorship, resources and people who help them see what is possible.
That gap is the focus of a new radio programme, STEM for Girls, launched by WAAW Foundation to bring public attention to the opportunities and barriers shaping girls’ participation in science, technology and innovation in the Federal Capital Territory.
The one-hour weekly programme will begin airing on Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Eagles FM 102.3 Abuja, with conversations designed to bring different perspectives on what it takes to create stronger pathways for girls into STEM.
The four-part series will bring together voices from across the STEM ecosystem, including policymakers and government officials working in science, technology and innovation; nonprofit and civil society actors working to expand STEM opportunities for girls; young women studying technology and STEM-related disciplines; and girls and young women aspiring to pursue careers in science and technology.
Rather than focusing only on encouraging girls to choose STEM, the programme will examine the conditions that make such choices possible.
Conversations will explore questions around access to technology and practical learning, exposure to STEM careers, mentorship, learning environments, teacher support, policy and the experiences of girls who may have the interest but not always the opportunity to pursue it.
The first episode will bring a policy and government perspective to the conversation, examining the role of institutions and policymakers in creating stronger opportunities for girls in science and technology. Subsequent episodes will move into the experiences of organisations working directly with girls, young women already pursuing STEM-related fields and girls whose aspirations can offer a closer look at what is possible — and what can stand in the way.
The programme forms part of WAAW Foundation’s broader advocacy work to advance science and technology education for girls in the FCT, particularly across rural and suburban Area Councils.
It also comes as the Foundation continues to gather evidence on the realities girls and science educators face in schools across the FCT, including differences in STEM exposure, practical learning resources and school laboratory capacity.
Through STEM for Girls, WAAW Foundation aims to take these conversations beyond schools and policy spaces and into the homes, cars, workplaces and communities of the wider public, creating a platform where policymakers, practitioners, young women and girls can contribute to the conversation about the future of STEM education.
The programme will also provide an opportunity for listeners to hear directly from young women pursuing STEM and girls who aspire to enter the field, bringing their experiences and ambitions into a conversation that is often dominated by policy and institutions.
STEM for Girls airs every Thursday from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Eagles FM 102.3 Abuja, beginning October 1, 2026.
