The Association of Professional Women Engineers, Kwara Chapter, has taken over the educational sponsorship of Miss Atoyebi Abiodun, an SS1 girl-mechanic in Ilorin.
Speaking during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin, Mrs Oluwatoyin Ayotunde, the Chairperson of the association, explained that the girl-mechanic is an orphan, who decided to take up the profession of her late father who was a mechanic.
Ayotunde explained that the girl-mechanic, who practices her mechanic profession in Ilorin, needs financial aid to further her education.
“From a recent video clip about the girl, we learnt that she took over her late father’s work as a mechanic.
“Because of the interest she has in engineering, she took up the late father’s job and works on motorbikes and generators.
“The association deems it fit as part of our vision and mission to pay a visit to the girl and see how we can ensure we help her sustain her vision to become an engineer,” she said.
“Presently, the girl stays with her grandmother, so we have decided to contribute money towards her education and mentor her to ensure she gets admission into the University,” she said.
According to her, the association serves as catalyst to the advancement of women in engineering and technological profession, both at the national and international levels.
“We also encourage young girls to go into the engineering profession due to the fact that fewer girls are into the profession.
“We want to erase the stereotype and belief that engineering is meant only for the men. Though it is male dominated, we urge young girls to embrace science and eventually go into the engineering.”
Ayotunde reiterated the resolve of the association to continue to encourage and support the girl child achieve her potential, in order to contribute to the development of the country.
Speaking with NAN, the girl-mechanic, Miss Abiodun, said being with her father, who was a mechanic, developed her interest in engineering.
She explained that though people may view the profession as male dominated, she has passion to pursue the profession.
“I love the profession because my father made a living as a mechanic, I can also make a living with it.
“But I want to go to school to become an engineer and with the help from the Women Engineer Association, I will work hard to achieve success and not to let them down for having hope in me,” she said.
Abiodun also advised young girls not to look at mechanic job as dirty, but to look at the fulfilment in the job.
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