AWIE, the brainchild of the celebrated lawyer and founder Lady Gifty Tetteh, is on a mission to rewrite the script. AWIE primarily seeks to bridge the gender gap in the energy sector. Although established in Ghana, AWIE operates in the whole of Africa and is composed of persons devoted to the inclusion, development and upliftment of women.
The Energy Sector is at the core of most African economies. The production of efficient energy supply to sustain these economies is unsurprisingly the heartbeat of the respective African governments. There is, therefore, a wealth of employment opportunities available in the sector, from extraction to the distribution of energy.
Notwithstanding the infinite opportunities available, women are woefully under-represented in the energy sector in Africa. Research shows that the energy sector has come a long way, and can boast of the inclusion of women in the sector to an estimated 14% (according to energy digital quoting GETI 2019). Clearly, there is an urgent need for all stakeholders to join resources and technology to propel women in the industry and more so African women, to hold a higher representation on the chart.
The inequitable representation of women stems from limited educational opportunities and unsatisfactory employment ratios. Women who are fortunate to gain employment opportunities are concentrated in the low skilled workspace. Although there are a handful of women occupying managerial and director positions in the energy industry in Africa, a majority of the female population have been relegated to auxiliary positions in the sector, mostly in administrative support and secretarial activities.
The organisation’s goal is to reach women who are enthusiastic about the energy sector and give them the platform to showcase or pitch their competitiveness in the sector. We hope to engage interested women at all stages of the academic ladder. Our motives are to ensure that women attain the requisite academic and professional training, obtain deserving employment opportunities and positions, and simultaneously command the necessary recognition and respect in the thriving energy sector. AWIE supports women in attaining their dreams and aspirations of reaching enviable heights in the African energy sector.
