Africa-Press – Mozambique. Limak Group’s flagship philanthropic initiative, Global Engineer Girls (GEG) has officially launched in Mozambique through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with one of the country’s leading technical universities, the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM).
The inaugural cohort will join a global network of over 1,700 participants from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Spain and very soon from the Ivory Coast, many of whom were the first in their families to study engineering and have since built successful careers in the field. The partnership was unveiled during an event at UEM —known as Mozambique’s oldest and largest public university— and will equip participants with the skills and knowledge to succeed in competitive work environments.
The event was attended by Ambassador of Türkiye to Mozambique H.E Ferhat Alkan along with Dr. Amalia Uamusse, Vice-Rector of UEM. They welcomed the inaugural cohort of GEG participants and esteemed guests from Mozambique’s business, government, and academic communities. The event also featured a panel discussion addressing the underrepresentation of women in Mozambique and in the global STEM workforce with speakers such as Eng. Iolanda Cintura, Governor of Maputo and former Minister of Women and Social Affairs and Alima Sauji, President of CTA’s Department for Women, Young Entrepreneurs, SMEs and Gaspar Buque, Country Director of Field Ready.
Ebru Özdemir, Founder of GEG and Chair of Limak Group, commented: “Since its founding in 2015 as Engineer Girls of Türkiye, which evolved into Global Engineer Girls today, the project’s vision has been to help close the gender gap in STEM fields in every country in which we operate, demonstrating that engineering is not just a man’s world. We are proud to partner with UEM on this important work, and we look forward to seeing all our participants flourish within the global network of sisterhood that we have cultivated as they grow into tomorrow’s leaders.”
The Vice-Rector of Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), Dr. Amália Uamusse, highlighted that the initiative is part of the university’s Strategic Plan 2018–2028 and contributes to the holistic development of students as well as strengthening the institution’s national and international partnerships.
“The initiative we witness being launched today is part of UEM’s strategic framework, contributing decisively to the implementation of our plan, particularly in the Teaching and Learning Axis, which aims to ensure an academic and social environment conducive to student development, and in the Governance and Cooperation Axis, which seeks to strengthen partnerships aligned with the university’s new Mission and Vision,” she stated.
Dr. Uamusse also emphasized that the initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 – Quality Education, promoting equitable access to higher education, and SDG 5 – Gender Equality, encouraging female participation in traditionally male-dominated fields, with special focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
“Investing in girls and women means investing in the future of Mozambique, in innovation, and in the modernization of the country,” concluded the Vice-Rector.
In his keynote speech, the General Director of Limak Cimentos SA Seyit Orhan Baydar highlighted: “Limak Cimentos SA is proud to contribute to building a stronger and more sustainable future for the country – not only through our operations, but also through our investment in people. By launching the Global Engineer Girls Mozambique, our vision is to empower young women in engineering and STEM fields. We are proud to support the next generation of female engineers in Mozambique and look forward to seeing them shape the future with confidence and excellence”.
The Global Engineer Girls (GEG) Mozambique program will feature 10 participants in its first cohort. Participants will benefit from scholarship support, peer-to-peer mentorship, skills training programs in cooperation with Field Ready as well as exclusive visits to iconic construction sites, providing first hand exposure to real-world engineering challenges. As GEG is a social impact project, students carry out volunteering activities as part of the program to promote social responsibility and encourage them to give back to society.
Participants will also have the opportunity to attend the prestigious Global Engineer Girls Istanbul Gathering, where they will engage in workshops, training sessions, and panel discussions led by industry leaders and role models while strengthening the international GEG sisterhood with their peers from Türkiye, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Saudi Arabia and Spain.
About Global Engineer Girls (GEG)
Global Engineer Girls (GEG) is an international philanthropic initiative that aims to inspire the next generation of female engineers. GEG was established by Limak Group in line with its culture and the deep personal commitment of its Chairperson, Ebru Özdemir, to improving women’s representation in STEM. GEG provides girls and women with education, mentorship and career opportunities in Türkiye, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Mozambique.
Initially launched in Türkiye in 2015 as Engineer Girls of Türkiye, the initiative expanded internationally in 2022, to become Global Engineer Girls with programs in North Macedonia and Kosovo. In 2024, it expanded further to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 2025, GEG launched in Spain, Mozambique and the Ivory Coast. The initiative has supported over 1,900 young women enrolled in chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, and mechanical engineering departments. Many of GEG’s participants have gone on to secure internship and employment opportunities.
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