 Hi everyone, my name is Ivy Maledi and I'm a research assistant at SIFO. My message to the youth pursuing studies in STEM is to never give up. Hi to all the STEM students out there. Yeah, study time, an important time in your life to acquire new knowledge. I acknowledge it can be a challenging field to specialise in, especially for women. Find the networks and mentors, both female and male, who can help you in your probably winding career path. And so find those support networks. Use that time wisely, try out new things, stay flexible, stay open-minded and most importantly have fun and also be passionate about what you do. With all odds stacked against us, but that should make you want to break the status quo. You should never underestimate yourself or feel like you're incapable of becoming a scientist or researcher because you are a girl. By wanting to learn more, wanting to be more, being hungry for opportunities that are always going to be presented to you. It might feel intimidating because there's already been so much good science before you. Everyone's already found out about everything but I assure you that it's not the case. So try to realise your God-given potential, make yourself happy and whatever you choose for your family and for yourself, be happy. Because at the end of the day, when you achieve your goals one by one and steadily climb that ladder, it will be worth it. It will definitely be rewarding and most of all, it will be very fulfilling.