Most women in the rural north of Cameroon rarely pursue careers in science. On November 8, two young ladies defied the norm and took home a major science award.
Adeline Sabine Doctors of cellular physiology Hadidjatou Daïrou, 33, and neuroscience specialist Fanta Yadang, 32, overcame discrimination in society to win the L’Oréal-Unesco Young Talent Award for Women in Science for their research on the therapeutic potential of plants.
On November 8, at a ceremony conducted in Botswana, the two young scientists were selected to receive the award from a group of thirty scientists in sub-Saharan Africa.
Fanta and Hadidjatou received recognition for their research on the potential of indigenous medicinal herbs in Cameroon to treat Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.
Proud to reveal the 30 winners of the 2023 @FondationLOreal–@UNESCO #ForWomenInScience Young Talents Sub-Saharan Africa Awards!
In a world where Africa represents only 2.5% of the world’s researchers, their achievements are a testament to their dedication & resilience. #FWIS2023
— For Women in Science (@4womeninscience) November 8, 2023
In the capital city of Yaoundé, the two young scientists collaborate in the laboratory of the Institute for Medical Research and the Study of Medicinal Plants (IMPM).
In Cameroon, traditional and ancestral medicine is acknowledged as a separate and distinct field of medicine.
According to Hadidjatou, the kola nut’s (Garcinia kola) bark may be beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Fanta is relying on tigernut milk, which is made from a plant that has been known for thousands of years in the region for its therapeutic qualities and is commonly drunk in Central Africa.
The researcher aims to demonstrate that this plant may “combat the degeneration of neurons and reduce stress in the affected brain,” in contrast to the costly traditional treatments used to delay the progression of Alzheimer’s.
I’ve spent an incredible week in Botswana with @FondationLOreal and @UNESCO for the #FWIS2023 Young Talents SubSaharan Africa Awards.
Proud to have won the award, and grateful for the opportunity to empower and be empowered by women in science! 🙏 @4womeninscience pic.twitter.com/lfkVPT3PJU— Fanta yadang (@fanta_sabine) November 17, 2023
Hadidjatou will finish her thesis at the University of Ibadan in adjacent Nigeria, and Fanta will carry on her study there with the €10,000 and €15,000 funds that come with the Young Talent prize.
“The future of Africa is in the hands of its scientists” , Fanta asserts.
https://www.africanews.com/embed/2428608
