Mary, Turkmenistan – More than 150 senior schoolgirls from School No. 28 in Mary and over 40 first-year students from the State Energy Institute of Turkmenistan (SEIT) took part in the “STEM4Her” events held at the school on 4 September and at SEIT on 30 August 2025, respectively.
Both events were organised by the European Union funded project “Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA)” with the support of the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan. They were held as part of the campaign “The European Union – Turkmenistan: Sustainable Energy Days”.
Social stereotypes and low awareness often prevent girls from considering STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as a career path. The events were dedicated to the topics of STEM education and career in the energy sector.
Female experts addressed the participants: Ilze Purina, SECCA Key Expert on Energy Sector Governance; Maija Dzirkale, SECCA International Consultant on Building Certification; and Jemal Durdykova, Climate Awareness and Youth Engagement Analyst for the UNDP project “Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Awaza”. They spoke to the girls about “green” energy, the prospects for renewable energy and energy efficiency deployment in Turkmenistan, and also shared their own professional experiences in these fields.
Overall, the event enhanced participants’ awareness of sustainable energy and career opportunities in the energy sector.
