HaHuJobs will begin project implementation for the STEM Education for Empowerment Project (STEEP) in Ethiopia to provide vital education and training, mentorship, and support to adolescent girls interested in and currently pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The STEM Education for Empowerment Project is a multi-country four-year $4 million initiative funded by the Government of Canada and The Barrett Family Foundation. Humber Polytechnic leads the project in a triangular partnership with implementing partners, HaHuJobs in Ethiopia and CAP Youth Empowerment Institute Kenya (CAP YEI) in Kenya

During the initial launch of the STEM Education for Empowerment Project at Humber Polytechnic, Canada's Minister of International Development, Harjit Sajjan, highlighted Canada's commitment to ensuring young women get the education they need to thrive and contribute to the economic prosperity of their communities and countries.

Mr. Sajjan noted, "Humber College’s (now known as Humber Polytechnic) STEEP project is an excellent example of how public and private sector funding can be leveraged to empower adolescent girls by giving them access to a quality education in STEM."

STEEP aims to enhance the interest, skills, and confidence of adolescent girls aged 14-18 from low-income and vulnerable communities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Kisumu, Kenya, to pursue STEM studies and employment through physical and digital training, which includes STEM technical skills, life skills, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

Through a multi-level and multi-stakeholder approach, the project will also engage key community actors such as parents, caregivers, boys and young men, local educators, school administrators, government stakeholders, and industry to close the gender gap in STEM.

"Aligned with Ethiopia's First Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Development Policy Operation to transition to a more inclusive economy, which includes contributions from the private sector for Ethiopia's overall growth, STEEP aims to create an inclusive learning environment for adolescent girls to engage in STEM education," says Humber Polytechnic's Nalini Andrade, Director of the International Development Institute.

"Empowering adolescent girls and fostering their interest in STEM equips them with the knowledge and skills to break barriers in STEM and become leaders for the next generation of girls.

We have seen the impact of such a program in Kenya, where CAPYEI has piqued the STEM interest and participation of adolescent girls in the six counties where the project is being implemented. We look forward to expanding the efforts made in Kenya to Ethiopia."

The co-founder and CEO of HaHuJob, Mr. Kaleab, stated, "Early intervention in STEM subjects will empower adolescent girls both in and out of school, significantly enhancing their future prospects. The STEEP project will have a lasting impact on these girls by improving their understanding of STEM fields and equipping them with the skills and confidence necessary to pursue careers and entrepreneurial aspirations in these areas."

The STEM Education for Empowerment Project will begin implementation in Ethiopia in October 2024. STEEP aims to support 15,000 Ethiopian adolescent girls from high schools and utilize the capacity of the HaHuJobs employment center to reach adolescent girls outside of school in Addis Ababa. STEEP will enhance gender equality and empowerment to enact long-term change and address root causes of gender inequalities for girls in and out of school to prosper in STEM fields.