Words That Count

Words That Count We’re building an Africa where young girls and women thrive in STEM through shared experiences.

We are pleased to welcome Ignatia Lesego Khabo to our mentorship program.Ignatia is an applied mathematician, student l...
19/08/2026


We are pleased to welcome Ignatia Lesego Khabo to our mentorship program.

Ignatia is an applied mathematician, student leader, and emerging science communicator currently pursuing a BSc Honours in Applied Mathematics at the University of Fort Hare. Her research focuses on the mathematical modelling of HPV transmission dynamics with control measures.

She already brings an impressive academic foundation, having completed a BSc in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science (Cum Laude) and receiving recognition for academic excellence from the Department of Science and Agriculture.

But Ignatia’s work extends beyond the classroom. As an ELEP Student Assistant and former award-winning tutor at the Teaching and Learning Centre, she has supported other students while developing her own leadership skills. She is also passionate about science communication and has contributed to initiatives such as the African Scientific Workshop.

With a combination of mathematics, computer science, leadership, and a strong commitment to helping others, Ignatia represents the kind of young woman we are proud to support through our mentorship program.

Welcome to Words That Count, Ignatia! We look forward to learning, growing, and building with you over the next 12 months 💙

What does have to do with energy policy? Quite a lot, as Winfred Mutinda's career path shows.Winfred spent more than a...
17/08/2026

What does have to do with energy policy? Quite a lot, as Winfred Mutinda's career path shows.

Winfred spent more than a decade working as an electrical engineer in Kenya's energy sector, on the technical side of electricity infrastructure and transmission systems.

But as she gained experience, she began to notice something that would eventually change the direction of her career: the people designing and working with energy systems also needed to be part of the conversations shaping the policies around them.

That realisation took her beyond engineering into , where she now works at the intersection of energy infrastructure, climate, development, and policy.

This is an interesting example of how a background can take you into spaces that may not have been part of the original plan.

It also raises an important question for Africa: who gets to shape the policies that determine how our energy systems are built and how they serve our communities?

Winfred is one of the people bringing technical experience into those conversations.

Enjoy her inspirational journey here: https://wordsthatcount.org/an-engineer-shaping-conversations-on-africas-energy-infrastructure-winfred-mwende-mutinda/

12/08/2026



We recently welcomed 12 young women from across Africa into a year-long program focused on career development, leadership, science communication, and personal growth.

Our mentees come from different countries, disciplines, and stages of their careers, but share a common interest in STEM and a willingness to learn, contribute, and grow.

Over the next 12 months, they will learn from mentors and one another, ask questions, explore new possibilities, and build relationships that we hope will continue well beyond the program.

In the coming weeks, we will be introducing each of them, sharing what they are passionate about, the areas of STEM they are interested in, and what they hope to pursue as they build their careers.

To our 2026/27 cohort, welcome to Words That Count. We are excited to have you with us.

We look forward to an exciting year ahead

When you were growing up, did you ever meet anyone who wanted to become an ?We certainly did not.We had never really st...
03/08/2026

When you were growing up, did you ever meet anyone who wanted to become an ?

We certainly did not.

We had never really stopped to think about the people who dedicate their careers to studying insects and the role they play in .

Yet, here in Africa, we live with the consequences of vector-borne diseases every day. Mosquitoes continue to spread malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and other diseases. Fleas have shaped history through plague outbreaks and are still studied today because they remain a public health concern in some parts. Ticks, tsetse flies, and other vectors continue to affect both human and animal health across the continent.

Someone has to understand these organisms if we are going to understand the diseases they carry.

That is exactly what Adelaide Miarinjara does.

Adelaide is a medical and infectious disease researcher whose work focuses on vectors such as fleas and the diseases they transmit.

Although she once imagined becoming a physician, she eventually realised her questions were leading her in a different direction. Instead of treating disease one patient at a time, she became interested in understanding how diseases spread, how our environment influences health, and how evidence can inform better decisions.

How many young people know that medical entomology is even a career option? Like many , Entomology begins with curiosity and a willingness to ask questions about how the world works.

We hope Adelaide's journey introduces at least one young person to a field that our continent needs now more than ever.

You can read her story here: https://wordsthatcount.org/understanding-plague-and-vector-borne-diseases-through-medical-entomology-adelaide-miarinjara/

The more conversations we have with our guests, the more we realise how much incredible work Africans are doing in space...
27/07/2026

The more conversations we have with our guests, the more we realise how much incredible work Africans are doing in spaces that rarely make everyday conversation.

Today, we are introducing Larissa Ramaromanana, whose passion took her from Madagascar to Russia, where she studied aerospace engineering and specialized in small and . She is part of a growing generation of African engineers helping shape the future of space technology.

One of the best parts of this work is discovering careers we did not even know existed. Every story leaves us a little more curious than we were before.

If space has ever felt distant or out of reach, I hope Larissa's journey changes that.

You can read her journey here: https://wordsthatcount.org/african-aerospace-engineer-specializing-in-small-satellites-and-nanosatellites-larissa-ramaromanana/

Most of us hear and immediately think about algorithms, artificial intelligence, or business analytics. Ocean mapping ...
22/07/2026

Most of us hear and immediately think about algorithms, artificial intelligence, or business analytics. Ocean mapping is probably one of the last things that comes to mind.

Through her research, Tinah Martin (Aina Kooloina) improves the accessibility and use of bathymetric data, which is information that describes the shape and depth of the seafloor. Think of it as the underwater equivalent of a topographic map on land. She uses this data to help build a more complete picture of the world's oceans.

This is why we never get tired of these conversations with African . They keep expanding our understanding of what STEM careers can look like. Every story and researcher introduces us to a field we knew little about.

If you have ever wondered what data science has to do with the ocean, you will enjoy Tinah's story.

You can read it here: https://wordsthatcount.org/advancing-ocean-mapping-through-data-science-voahangy-tinah-martin/

“To the young girl out there, never let your background, gender, or circumstances convince you that your dreams are too ...
06/07/2026

“To the young girl out there, never let your background, gender, or circumstances convince you that your dreams are too big. The STEM world needs your voice, your curiosity, and your courage” ~ Dr. Azwindini Delinah Maphiri.

Those were some of the words Dr. Maphiri chose to leave with the next generation of girls interested in Mathematics.

Behind her words is a journey through mathematics, immunology, and research dedicated to understanding diseases and improving lives.

We hope you enjoy her STEM journey: https://wordsthatcount.org/understanding-diseases-through-mathematics-and-immunology-azwindini-delinah-maphiri/

"During my senior secondary school, I faced the possibility of being married off due to financial constraints. However, ...
22/06/2026

"During my senior secondary school, I faced the possibility of being married off due to financial constraints. However, my classmates encouraged me to focus on making a name for myself in the world. Fortunately, my eldest brother stepped in and took responsibility for funding my university education."

Years later, Prof. Chinwendu Emilian Madubueze has built a research career in mathematics and public health. Her research focuses on using mathematical tools to better understand infectious diseases and public health challenges. But beyond her research, she speaks openly about the role other people have played in her journey.

We are honoured to share her journey here: https://wordsthatcount.org/building-a-research-career-at-the-intersection-of-mathematics-and-health-chinwendu-emilian-madubueze/

We recently had the opportunity to interact with Olfa Sayari, a and researcher whose work sits at the intersection of ...
15/06/2026

We recently had the opportunity to interact with Olfa Sayari, a and researcher whose work sits at the intersection of marine biology, public health, and biotechnology.

Conversations with scientists confirm that boundaries between disciplines are not as clear as we sometimes imagine.

A question about marine organisms can become a question about human health. A conversation about protecting ocean ecosystems can become a conversation about the future of and the discoveries that may emerge from nature.

Olfa’s journey reflects this . Through her work, she explores the potential of marine resources while highlighting why protecting these ecosystems matters. Not only for biodiversity, but also for the possibilities they hold for future generations.

At Words That Count, we love science, but we are mostly interested in the people behind these scientific ideas. We enjoy engaging with the researchers who ask the questions, follow evidence, and build knowledge that shapes the future in ways we cannot always predict.

Because at the end of the day, science is not created in isolation. It grows from curiosity, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.

Read more about Olfa’s work here: https://wordsthatcount.org/protecting-marine-life-public-health-and-the-future-of-biotechnology-olfa-sayari/

When we talk about , we often discuss roads, power systems, buildings, and investment. We rarely talk about the people ...
01/06/2026

When we talk about , we often discuss roads, power systems, buildings, and investment. We rarely talk about the people thinking through what those systems will need 20 or 30 years from now.

Grace Mukii Nzivo is one of those people.

Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Energy and Power Engineering at Tsinghua University, Grace is expanding her expertise at the intersection of infrastructure, energy systems, and . Her focus is not only on how infrastructure is built, but on how it continues to serve communities in a future shaped by growing cities, changing energy demands, and climate pressures.

Throughout this episode, Grace speaks about engineering not as the construction of physical structures, but as a responsibility to think carefully about the systems that support everyday life.

This interaction reminded us that sustainable development is not only about ambitious plans. It is also about the , researchers, and practitioners asking difficult questions long before the foundations are laid.

Read more about Grace’s journey here: https://wordsthatcount.org/building-sustainable-infrastructure-through-civil-engineering-and-energy-systems-grace-mukii-nzivo/

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