Girls STEM Camp – Lifunga Promise Kickoff! July 2023

Led by dedicated volunteer educators Rebecca Girard and Abiya Baqui from Notre Dame Belmont in California, the Girls STEM camp cultivated scientific curiosity through hands-on experiments and teamwork, providing essential experiences for the 120 aspiring scientists in the 11th and 12th grades. Witnessing the students’ enthusiasm as they immersed themselves in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics was undeniably inspiring.

The STEM Camp initiated a 2-year fellowship for Lifunga teachers, who will collaborate with our partners at Teach United of Uganda. Teach United has spearheaded innovative teaching methods to facilitate learning for ALL students. The STEM Camp took place in a state-of-the-art Science Lab generously donated by Bridget Wylie and the Nursing Promise Chapter, which is now in its final stages of construction.

We aim to establish a pathway from a local public girls’ school to our nursing college. Scholarships will be granted to girls from Lifunga, with hopes that more will qualify for these opportunities now that the Nursing Promise is in full swing. Upon graduation from college, these young women will embark on a six-month paid internship at Matibabu Hospital.

The Nursing Promise Initiative aims to train nurses from local villages who will serve in rural communities with nursing shortages. Together, we are creating a pathway from a village girls’ school through our nursing college and into well-paying nursing jobs.

Our strategy involves:

• Sparking girls’ interest in STEM through an annual STEM Camp
• Enhancing STEM instruction methods through a 2-year fellowship for the teachers
• Build a STEM Lab and provide equipment (computers and supplies)
• Providing full scholarships for Mary Ann van Dam School of Nursing ($1k per year)
• Engaging girls in mentoring and internship opportunities at Matibabu Hospital.