|3rd in Category Winner|
As a female engineer, Naadiya Moosajee often encountered discrimination and harassment in the workplace, and was even cyber-stalked by a colleague.
Determined to turn things around, she and her friend, fellow engineer Hema Vallabh, hosted a conference showcasing the technical excellence of women under the banner, SA WomEng. More than a decade later, the group is a global force, instrumental in developing strong female engineering talent pipelines.
WomEng implements several innovative programmes. They are focused around engineering education, attraction and retention of females into the industry, skills and leadership development and mentorship.
Recently, Moosajee and Vallabh launched their #1MillionGirlsinSTEM campaign at the UN in New York. They are committed to reaching 1 million girls through science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and awareness initiatives in at least ten different geographic locations, in the next ten years.
Moosajee herself holds a BSc in Civil Engineering and an MSc in Engineering, and was named one of the 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa by Forbes in 2014. The 33-year-old is also a mother, wife, and co-owner of a successful Turkish restaurant.
She is the co-founder (with Vallabh) of WomHub, a management consultancy working globally to create gender parity through education and technology.
“When life is not fair, get over it.”
