STEMpower

From Wikitia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
STEMpower
Nonprofit organization
Founded2009; 17 years ago (2009)
FounderMark Gelfand
HeadquartersAddis Ababa, Ethiopia
and
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Number of locations
150 STEM Centers (2025)
Area served
Sub-Saharan Africa
Key people
  • Mark Gelfand (Founder)
  • Demeke Mekonnen (Government Support)
  • Edwin Kumfa (CEO)
Websitestempower.org

STEMpower is a pan-African nonprofit organization that promotes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education across Sub-Saharan Africa. It focuses on establishing STEM Centers, FabLabs, and mobile labs designed to provide hands-on learning experiences for students and educators, which are eventually handed over to host institutions to ensure long-term sustainability and community ownership.[1][2]

Background

STEMpower traces its origins to the philanthropic initiatives of Mark Gelfand, an American engineer and philanthropist.[3] In 2009, Gelfand established the Gelfand Family Charitable Trust (GFCT), which launched its first education initiative in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. The trust collaborated with the Bishoftu municipal education bureau to construct primary school buildings and create an engineering education facility aimed at enhancing hands-on science and technology instruction.

The first STEM Center was inaugurated in Bishoftu with the support of the Ethiopian government and endorsement from Demeke Mekonnen, then Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia. By 2013, additional centers were established in Addis Ababa,[4] Mekelle, Gondar, Bahir Dar, and Hawassa, reflecting the growing demand for experiential STEM education in the country.

In 2018, the initiative was incorporated in the United States as STEMpower, Inc., formalizing its expansion beyond Ethiopia. The organization subsequently extended operations to other Sub-Saharan African nations, including Rwanda, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Cameroon, and the Comoros.[5]

As of 2025, STEMpower established its 150th STEM Center across Sub-Saharan Africa, including over 60 centers in Ethiopia alone.[6][7][8]

Programs and Operations

STEMpower’s centers provide fully equipped electronics laboratories, computer labs, and mechanical workshops, offering access to practical tools and project-based learning environments for students. The centers aim to complement national education systems by improving problem-solving skills, creativity, and technical literacy.[9][10]

The organization’s Addis Ababa FabLab serves as a creative innovation space where students can design prototypes and develop skills related to product manufacturing and digital fabrication.[11][12]

To expand outreach to underserved regions, STEMpower introduced a mobile STEM laboratory in 2016, bringing science and engineering education to rural schools in Ethiopia.

Through partnerships with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, STEMpower also runs summer enrichment programs at public universities, providing STEM exposure and mentorship to secondary school students.[13]

Partnerships and Collaborations

In 2020, STEMpower partnered with Visa International to implement entrepreneurship and financial literacy training for young people in Ethiopia. The program aimed to equip students with financial management and business skills alongside technical education, contributing to broader financial inclusion and job creation initiatives in the country.[14]

The organization has collaborated with several African universities, including the University of Dschang in Cameroon, the Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako in Mali, and the Université de San Pedro in Côte d’Ivoire. These partnerships have supported the establishment of campus-based STEM and robotics laboratories.[15]

In Ghana, STEMpower partnered with the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) to open a free robotics lab for high school students, aligning with the government’s TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) policy.[16]

The organization also engages with international and local stakeholders to encourage girls’ participation in STEM, as demonstrated through initiatives in Rwanda and other African countries.[17]

Impact

Since its inception, STEMpower has been recognized for pioneering an African-led STEM ecosystem that integrates public and private education sectors. Its model emphasizes sustainability by embedding centers within schools and universities, supported by local governments, corporate partners, and community networks.

According to The Ethiopian Herald (2025), STEMpower continues to expand across Africa with the goal of fostering innovation, job creation, and technology-driven education.

References

  1. ↑ "STEMpower – UDC: Matériel Informatique". La Gazette des Comores. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  2. ↑ "STEMpower plans major STEM expansion across Africa". The Ethiopian Herald. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  3. ↑ "How local philanthropist Mark Gelfand engineers knowledge in Africa". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  4. ↑ "On November 2-3, the U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa and STEM Power hosted an entrepreneurial and financial education program". Twitter. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  5. ↑ "Coopération STEMpower – Université de Dschang". Université de Dschang. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  6. ↑ "STEMpower Inaugurates 100th STEM Center in Sub-Saharan Africa, 60th in Ethiopia". Shega. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  7. ↑ "STEMpower USA to Open More Centers of Excellence in Rwanda, Sub-Saharan Africa". KT Press. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  8. ↑ "AAMUSTED, STEMpower open free electronics lab for high schools to complement government's TVET policy". MyJoyOnline. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  9. ↑ "Laboratoire Electronique de LISA". Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  10. ↑ "Seeding STEM centers in Africa, NGO looks for crop of scientists to cultivate continent". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  11. ↑ "Visa and STEMpower partner to drive financial inclusion and job creation in Ethiopia". Visa Africa newsroom. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  12. ↑ "Visa moves to drive up financial inclusion in Ethiopia". CNBC Africa. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  13. ↑ "STEMpower, Visa Launch Entrepreneurship, Financial Mgt Training for 3,600 Ethiopians". Ethiopian News Agency. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  14. ↑ "AAMUSTED, STEMpower open free robotics lab for high schools to complement government's TVET policy". MyJoyOnline. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  15. ↑ {{ref>"Côte d'Ivoire: STEMpower ouvre un centre d'ingénierie STEM à l'Université de San Pedro". Agence Ecofin. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  16. ↑ "Rwanda: Stempower Urges Girls, Women to Embrace Stem Education". AllAfrica. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  17. ↑ "STEMpower engages private schools to promote STEM education". The Ethiopian Herald. Retrieved 2025-10-09.

External links

Retrieved from "https://wikitia.com/index.php?title=STEMpower&oldid=219977"