Kenyan student nominated for Sh13 million global prize

Hemanshi Galaiya, a 28-year-old Kenyan student at the University of Queensland in Australia, has been named among 50 finalists from around the world for the 2024 chegg.org Global Student Prize.

Ms Galaiya is a PhD candidate and the founder of Young Stripes, an initiative aimed at giving students early exposure and inspiration into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

“The programme seeks to inspire young people through practical and hands-on science education and leadership incubation so that they can see the rewards in these fields and ultimately reach their full potential,” she said.

The Global Student Prize, valued at $100,000 (Sh13 million), is presented to an exceptional student making real impact on learning, the lives of their peers, and society.

Galaiya’s initiative seeks to generate educational equity by leveraging practical and frugal science exercises to showcase real-world applications of STEM.

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“Our programme runs in various schools, engaging learners as young as four years".

The initiative is in line with the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) recently adopted in Kenya where learners have three pathways to pick from a young age according to their passion and abilities.

The three pathways include STEM, talent, languages and social sciences with a plan for some schools to specialize in one of the pathways in the future.

“Learning by doing allows students not only to deeply understand scientific concepts but also develop real-world skills like analytical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, innovation and entrepreneurial mindsets. All these skills will be crucial for future leaders irrespective of their field of work,” she said.

On a global scale, her efforts to empower the next generation have reached over 50,000 individuals including young adults in several countries as well as benefiting various multinational organisations and industries.

Ms Galaiya notes that in the past, female students have shunned STEM subjects and her initiative will go a long way in encouraging more girls to align with the pathway.

“With a special focus on gender equality, we aspire to increase awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding STEM pathways and equip young adults with skills to raise their personal, academic and professional profile,” she stated.

To achieve this goal, Ms Galaiya has brought on board passionate STEM leaders from various universities in the country.

“For mentorship, we have trained young leaders from various fields who guide and advise our young audiences. They are drawn from both the public and private sectors. With their achievements, they are a great source of inspiration to the budding scientists,” said Ms Galaiya.

She added that she feels fortunate to have overcome incredible odds in her personal life citing her academic journey as a great achievement for her and her family.

“Being the first graduate, first engineer and now first PhD student in my family is something I didn’t dream of at a young age. Today, I feel that all the hard work has been worth it because I am now the role model that I wish I had growing up. I hope my legacy can continue to inspire young girls around the world to believe in themselves and choose the STEM fields,” she said.

She described her nomination for the award as a great honour which has encouraged her to continue pursuing the initiative and scale it up to impact even more learners.

“Being the only finalist from both Kenya and Australia which has become my home I already feel celebrated for the work I am doing for society,” said Galaiya.

Details available on the prize website indicate that it was established to create a platform that shines a light on the efforts of extraordinary students reshaping the world for the better and is open to all students who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in an academic institution.