Umu Jalloh

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Cohort

Umu Salamata Jalloh was born and raised in Sierra Leone as the third of twelve children. Coming from a rural community with one of the highest teenage pregnancy and school drop-out didn’t stop her from accomplishing her desire for higher education in STEM. She has worked against the  odds stacked against her and has proven to be a role model for girls in her community by pursuing higher education as a Biomedical Engineering student at Arizona State University. She is passionate about supporting, encouraging, and ensuring more girls pursue STEM educational experiences and professions. Umu  knows that ensuring girls safety and empowering them is central to the work she wants to do. She is also passionate about enhancing the healthcare system of Sierra Leone to ensure better health outcomes for women. Those desires are what keeps her going and what inspires her to succeed.  Umu  started a network for girls in her community that is geared toward  empowering all women by using art, storytelling, and peer networking to help facilitate greater learning and community. She also volunteers every summer with a community youth-based organization and works as an intern with the biggest public hospital in Sierra Leone, Connaught Government Hospital. Umu’s future goals are to continue in higher education  and receive her master in Biomedical Engineering, while also continuing to motivate and empower girls in rural communities. Umu plans to continue her work of using art, storytelling, and peer networking to support the healthcare system of her country through meaningful practice and also share her knowledge by serving as a lecturer in one of the universities in Sierra Leone.