By Foday Moriba Conteh

The Sierra Leone Women Engineers (SLWE) on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th September, 2025 successfully concluded their inaugural Career Fest & Innovation Expo 2025, held under the theme: “Empowering Women – Inspiring Innovation.” The two-day event, hosted at the FSSG School Hall in Brookfields, Freetown, brought together young innovators, students and future STEM leaders for a dynamic Quiz and Innovation Competition, as well as an inspiring career-focused forum. The program was supported by The WhiteHill Chase Foundation UK, Africell Sierra Leone, Sierra Rutile, Centurion Engineering Ltd, Luminix Energy Solutions, CEMMATS, Metro Cable, among other partners.

The Quiz Competition featured two schools; Methodist Girls High School and Beacon High School. Methodist Girls High School emerged champions with 16 points, while Beacon High School secured second place with 12 points.

The Innovation Competition attracted four groups two each from Fourah Bay College and Milton Margai Technical University. Group 1 from Milton Margai Technical University claimed first place with their project, a “filter fence” along the Samba Gutter to prevent flooding, winning a cash prize of 10,000 Leones.

In her address, Ing. Magdalene Remilekun Peters, President of SLWE, reflected on the talent and innovation showcased during the event, noting that “the future of engineering in Sierra Leone is being shaped by bright young minds prepared to lead.” She emphasized that opportunities for growth are not distant prospects but are available now, requiring courage, preparation and support to seize them.

The programme featured a diverse line-up of sessions, including:

- An Employer Panel, which highlighted the skills and qualities industries seek in engineers.


- A Women Engineers’ Panel, under the theme: “We Made It Through,” where female engineers shared their journeys of overcoming barriers in the profession.


- A Fireside Chat with Female Student Engineers, offering a platform for the next generation to voice their aspirations and concerns.

Ing. Magdalene Remilekun Peters reaffirmed SLWE’s commitment to fostering pathways for women engineers to enter, thrive and expand their presence nationally and globally. She urged participants to turn knowledge into action, encouraging them to “learn, share and connect” in pursuing engineering opportunities for Sierra Leone and beyond. She officially declared the Career Fest and Innovation Expo 2025 closed, marking a milestone for women in engineering.

The President of SLWE explained that the initiative was conceived to empower young professional engineers to explore opportunities and build competence in a male-dominated field. She stressed that women engineers must break barriers by strengthening their skills and supporting one another further revealing SLWE’s plans to expand mentorship programmes and establish chapters in other institutions, including the Eastern Polytechnic, to further nurture talent in STEM.

“With the Career Fest & Innovation Expo 2025, SLWE has set a precedent for empowering women in engineering, fostering innovation and creating platforms for knowledge-sharing that will inspire generations to come” she concluded.

Commenting on their victory in the Quiz Competition, Mariana Emila Conteh, a pupil of Methodist Girls High School, expressed her delight at being crowned champions of the maiden Career Fest & Innovation Expo Quiz Competition. “This win reflects not only our brilliance and commitment but also the dedication of our teachers and the support of our school community,” she stated.

She added that their achievement demonstrated that with focus and determination, excellence can be attained. “Beyond the trophy, this victory has ignited in us a stronger passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),” she concluded.

Commenting on behalf of participants, Fredcilia Akiebo-Cole, a final-year Engineering student and Public Relations Officer of the Sierra Leone Women Engineers FBC Chapter, commended SLWE for organizing the Career Fest & Innovation Expo 2025, noting that the event has made a significant impact on them.

She explained that over the two days, the program opened their eyes to many issues, including breaking down barriers in the engineering field and encouraging them to pursue greater competence in their work.

Fredcilia Akiebo-Cole further noted that as female engineers, they sometimes find it challenging to thrive in a male-dominated profession. However, she said the inspiring testimonies shared by women engineers who have successfully overcome such barriers have motivated them and reinforced their passion and commitment to engineering.

Sarah Samuels, a final-year Electrical and Electronic Engineering student at Milton Margai Technical University and Public Relations Officer of the Sierra Leone Women Engineers FBC Chapter, also applauded SLWE for the opportunity to participate in the Career Fest & Innovation Expo 2025.

She noted that the event not only allowed them to showcase their talents but also exposed them to real opportunities within the engineering field in Sierra Leone.

Sarah Samuels expressed pride in the performance of the participants, highlighting that the Innovation Competition featured four groups two each from Fourah Bay College and Milton Margai Technical University. She proudly stated that Group 1 from Milton Margai Technical University claimed first place with their innovative project, a “filter fence” designed along the Samba Gutter to help prevent flooding.

The maiden Career Fest & Innovation Expo 2025 not only showcased the brilliance of Sierra Leone’s young innovators but also underscored the growing opportunities for women in engineering. With inspiring testimonies, competitive showcases and practical exposure to industry expectations, the two-day event left participants motivated to break barriers, pursue excellence and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development through STEM. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/sierra-leone-women-engineers-concludes-two-day-maiden-career-fest-innovation-expo-2025/