ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2020
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. In the three months the application was open in 2020, 15,159 young leaders applied to join the Class of 2020 on 1,458 campuses across 135 nations. 80 campuses worldwide (just 6%) were selected to host the 1,000+ Millennium Fellows. The Class of 2020 is bold, innovative, and inclusive.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT BEATRICE WANJIRU KAMAU, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW AND CAMPUS DIRECTOR FOR THE CLASS OF 2020.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology | Juja, Kenya | Advancing SDG 3 & UNAI 7
" I am really excited to be part of the Millennium Fellowship as it provides a platform for me to further work on my project , learn and share with other youths making an impact in their communities . My project gives me an opportunity to empower girls to know they have more options than the society makes most of them believe they have. That their menses is not something to be ashamed about .And providing them with the material they need to use in their menses in the process .I love that I get to impact young girls in this wholesome way. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: UNBOXED
A Microsoft study found out that girls develop an interest in STEM around eleven years and lose interest around fifteen years .Some of the reasons for this stated in the study is societal influence ,lack of female role models and negative stereotypes .It is also at the age of twelve when most girls begin their menses .This also comes with the challenge such as period shaming and lack of sanitary material for those girls in underprivileged areas .
Unboxed is a project that aims to demystify STEM and menses to girls in primary school. To combat the challenges mentioned above, the team visits primary schools in slum areas to talk about STEM and demystify menses to both boys and girls in an effort to end period shaming .They also invite Women already working in the STEM field and ladies doing stem courses to talk to the girls in these schools.
About the Millennium Fellow
Beatrice Wanjiru is a final year Electrical Engineering Student. Growing up she says that never in her wildest dreams did she aspire to be an engineer. Reason being, she had never seen a female engineer or had someone talk to her about it as a career option for someone like her who loved math and science that 'It is a dirty job and a man's job' she always thought .This is why she believes that young girls need to see female engineers and have myths surrounding this career debunked for them .She is also passionate to see that these girls are comfortable with their body changes around puberty especially their menses. She believes having the right information and conducive environment free from stigma will see an increase of women in STEM careers.
