As part of activities to commemorate International Women’s Day, Stanbic Bank Ghana has organised a seminar for women, dubbed ‘The Feminine Code’. The discussion was in line with this year’s theme for International Women’s Day, ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’ and was led by female leaders from various tech-related departments in the bank, who shared their experiences as women in technology and their journey so far. The panelists included Estelle Asare, Head, Digital and Innovation; Marian Amartey, Head, Business Enablement; Jemilatu Abdulai, Head, Digital and E-commerce; and Aya Ayettey, Head, Production Assurance and Customer Care, Tech and OPS.
Speaking on her experience as a woman in STEM, Mrs. Marian Amartey shared that there needs to be a deliberate attempt and more focus on encouraging girls to take up STEM-related courses in school.
She mentioned: “No matter what your area of interest is, problems are part of our daily lives. Even as women, there are a lot of challenges that are specific to our gender. One way or the other, be required to solve them at a point. STEM, as a field, has what will suit you to achieve your purpose and beyond. Instead of relying on the other gender to solve our problems, we must encourage more young ladies to take up STEM-related courses. I believe that as women, we are equally capable of excelling in the digital space. There are many opportunities for women in technology; all they need is the right training to succeed and do amazing things in this field”.
“It can really be intimidating, as a woman, entering a male-dominated field. During my studies, I was one of the only girls in the class. Many times, I was made fun of and asked why I was even there. But I knew what I was about, so I remained focused and put in hard work; and I excelled. I am very grateful to be working in a bank with men who are supportive of women and create a conducive environment for us to succeed,” she added.
Mrs. Estelle Asare also encouraged women to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way. She advised: ‘The future is exciting. Now careers in STEM are not as limited as it used to be, and that has created more opportunities for women to play in the field. As women, we cannot sit back and wait for things to happen. We need to take charge of our lives and go the extra mile to make things happen. Apply yourself to whatever you do and be hungry to learn more. I always encourage women to find a mentor who can guide them and show them that, indeed, their dreams are valid as well as possible”.
Over the years, Stanbic Bank has celebrated International Women’s Day by supporting young women across the country with access to and training in STEM. Last year, the bank presented STEM books to female students of the Ogbojo Presbyterian Junior High School at Madina, Accra. The bank also organised a 5-day camp in partnership with WiSTEM Ghana to educate young girls from various secondary schools in Ghana. The camp provided young girls with adequate training and skills in various STEM-related areas.
