Empowering girls through STEAM is at the core of Love for Change Women Foundation’s mission to close gender gaps in tech and leadership across Nigeria

Empowering girls through STEAM is more than a slogan for the Love for Change Women Foundation—it is a mission reshaping the future of digital literacy and innovation for young women in Nigeria’s underserved communities.

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The foundation’s founder and executive director, Modupeola Bello Olukoya, says the initiative is equipping girls with vital 21st-century skills through its flagship programme, InnovatHER STEAM Bootcamp.

The project teaches Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics in a way that empowers participants to lead in their communities and beyond.

Speaking at the second edition of the programme’s Robotics and Innovation Workshop in Lagos, Olukoya highlighted the impact of the eight-week virtual bootcamp and its culminating in-person session.

She noted that 80 top-performing girls from over 200 registered participants were selected for the advanced robotics workshop.

“We want to raise confident, emotionally intelligent young women who can lead and shape global spaces,” she said. “Our programme is designed to build critical thinking, leadership, good attitude, and emotional intelligence, alongside technical STEAM skills.”

This year’s edition introduced Python programming, robotics, and a creative Fashion & Design module.

It was held in partnership with Lisa Folawiyo Studio and aimed to merge innovation with creativity while promoting inclusion.

The founder said the initiative was born out of a personal crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic when she lost her job and faced serious health challenges.

That moment became a turning point and sparked her mission to uplift young girls facing systemic disadvantages.

“We began with a simple but impactful initiative—our Back-to-School Outreach, providing school supplies to less privileged children. What started as a grassroots effort grew into partnerships across seven states, reaching ten communities and numerous churches,” she explained.

Now, the InnovatHER STEAM Bootcamp has become the organisation’s flagship programme, offering practical, inclusive learning and access to resources that many of the participants never imagined possible.

“We are transforming families, uplifting communities, and shaping future leaders and problem-solvers who will transform their industries and our nation,” Olukoya added.

Guest speaker and global development expert, Oluwatoyin Banjo, delivered a keynote on the role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership. She stressed that empowering girls with technical skills alone was not enough.

“Our female tech stars must rise boldly and lead with purpose. They must recognize their ability to influence, solve problems, and create change,” Banjo said.

“Without emotional intelligence and self-awareness, they risk losing opportunities and being sidelined.”

The foundation’s project assistant, Bukola Adeyemi, said that introducing skills such as coding and data analysis has helped many participants imagine themselves as future tech leaders.

“Research shows young girls in underserved communities often lack access to technological skills that could transform their futures. We’re bridging that gap by teaching coding, data analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving,” she explained.

With each edition of the programme, the Love for Change Women Foundation moves closer to its goal of creating a new generation of innovators and leaders.

By empowering girls through STEAM, the foundation is not just changing lives—it is preparing young women to drive Africa’s transformation in technology and leadership.

“We are not only equipping individuals,” Olukoya said, “we are transforming families, uplifting communities, and shaping future leaders and problem-solvers who will transform their industries and our nation.”

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The organisation says future editions of the bootcamp will continue to scale, with more partners, deeper engagement, and broader outreach across the continent.