Young bioengineer flying Kenyan flag in Australia

A screwdriver is one random thing you will find in Hemanshi Galaiya’s bag. “Yes! And I have used it to fix a lot of stuff on the most random occasions,” she says. Ms Galaiya is a Kenyan student at the University of Queensland in Australia, pursuing a PhD in Biotechnology, specialising in gas fermentation. She states that if her PhD pursuit fails, she will sign up for comedy since, “I have a wicked sense of humour.”

She was recently named among 50 finalists from around the world for the 2024 Chegg.org Global Student Prize. She is the only Kenyan to be shortlisted for the award, which is valued at $100,000 (Sh13 million), and is presented to one exceptional student making a real impact on learning, the lives of their peers, and society. Ms Galaiya is also the founder of Young Stripes, an initiative aimed at giving students early exposure and inspiration to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects.

“I don’t just believe in equality, but equity before equality. At Young Stripes, we provide support to those who need it so they can get an even playing field. I am working to ensure that one day we can have a fairer world,” says the bubbly 28-year-old.

For our interview, we plucked her from the University of Queensland lab, where she was busy modifying bacteria to create polymers. “As a bioengineer, I spend a lot of time in the lab, creating bacterial strains that can feed on carbon dioxide, a very big pollutant in our environment.”

Ms Galaiya was born and brought up in Nairobi, Kenya. “My earliest memories are of constantly experiencing domestic violence meted on my mother by my father. Over the years, the violence extended to me, and I had to endure this for about 21 years. As an escape, I made school my safe space. I engaged in all the extracurricular activities one could do and also studied incredibly hard because I knew it would someday be my only ticket to a better life,” she recalls.

As a middle child, she was quite adventurous. She remembers converting a pool table into a spacecraft, a race car and even a submarine. “I think these imaginative adventures foretold the scientist I would later become,” she opines.

Despite attending a private school, she says the institution lacked adequate resources for practical science education. Growing up in a patriarchal society presented additional hurdles. Her aspirations for engineering were often met with discouragement, as women were expected to pursue “safer” careers. However, her mother, an entrepreneur, served as a powerful role model, as she defied societal norms and never discriminated against her children based on gender.

Her mother constantly engaged her in her business from a young age, and she credits this exposure to her professional and enterprising skills. “I have always been very extroverted. From age eight, I used to help at my mother’s shop most evenings and weekends. Sometimes, when my mother travelled, I had to use my lunch break at school to coordinate with her staff and suppliers on orders and deliveries. I acquired most of my soft and leadership skills through interacting with customers, staff, and suppliers.”

After completing high school, Ms Galaiya knew she wanted to study engineering. “I was hoping to get a scholarship to go and study abroad. I also wanted to escape from the situation at home. I was obsessed with the Chinese culture and even enrolled in Mandarin classes in preparation. It simply didn’t work out because I am vegetarian and my mother was concerned I would starve there,” she laughs.

Aged 19, she got a prestigious scholarship. “This was very exciting because I was going to be the first person from my family to go to go to university. There was a big hurdle though. I needed to raise half the fees and cater for my housing and living expenses in the UK. I knew my mother would move heaven and earth to pay but I had seen her struggle so much to get us through high school. However, I was not going to let that chance slip.”

Her mother managed to pay for her first year, and she left for the United Kingdom to start her studies at the University of Sheffield. “I had only two goals: to study hard and to save as much money as I could. At some point, I took up seven jobs alongside my full-time degree and mostly ate only rice and veggies for nearly a year.”

One would naturally assume that she was happily living her dream. But, pressure from within caused her anxiety and depression. “I started suffering from mental illnesses and being away from home did not help. I am thankful I had a strong support system in my boyfriend, best friend and sister.”

After completing her studies, she returned to Kenya and founded Young Stripes. “I recognised that despite the challenges, the opportunity to study abroad was a privilege and that it was my duty to give back to my community and the next generation.” In 2022, she got a scholarship to go to Australia, where she is currently pursuing her PhD. This move prompted her boyfriend to quit his job and take over the management of Young Stripes. “I am fortunate to have a partner who is willing to make tough choices to support my dreams,” she says.

Despite being far from home, Ms Galaiya’s heart remains tied to Kenya. “I miss Ugali and Sukuma a lot,” she admits, reflecting her deep connection to her roots. She plans to return to Kenya to continue her work in the education sector, possibly as a consultant or advisor on education policies. “My biggest dream is to establish a science museum in Kenya,” she reveals.

“When I was younger I believed that my life would not amount to anything because the struggles seemed to overshadow my potential.” While most people credit their struggles as the driving force for success, Hemanshi credits her mother’s guidance in the face of adversity. “If challenges alone made you stronger then we would all wish hard times on each other. The truth is that it’s not the challenges but rather the people that surround you during those challenges that make you stronger.

“This is why today my mission is to be a guide to those who are facing challenges because everyone needs that one person who can give them the tools to crawl out of the darkness,” she says.

With her PhD slated for completion in 2027, Ms Galaiya has big plans, including scaling up Young Stripes and launching new initiatives. “I want to initiate a leadership curriculum that helps high school and university students recognise their potential and equips them with the skillset relevant for leading any field in this world,” she says.

To the young women and girls who look up to her, she says: “Don’t be afraid. Don’t shrink yourself for anybody. I am where I am today because I proudly own my opinions. I will speak out and seek opportunities and help whenever I can.”

When she’s not in the lab creating polymers, you will find Hemanshi cooking. “My childhood dream was to be a chef!”