About Bongekile Matsenjwa
Bongekile Matsenjwa is a registered professional chemical engineer in Eswatini and South Africa, working in the oil and gas sector. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering honours degree in chemical engineering and a Master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Pretoria. Bongekile has over 10 years of experience in process engineering, project management, business development, continuous improvement, and people management in the manufacturing industry, and is the author of “Unsung Heroes”, a career guidance book that highlights the work of STEM professionals in Eswatini.
Bongekile is committed to supporting women in STEM. She is the co-founder and managing director of WomEng Eswatini, a registered NPO that raises the next generation of female STEM professionals in Eswatini, having reached over 150,000 high school girls to educate and mentor them to venture into the STEM industry. She is part of the steering committee for the Eswatini National Chapter of Women In Science, Engineering & Technology under the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology in Eswatini. She is also a member of the Women in Engineering Committee of the Southern African Federation of Engineering Organisations, supporting the accomplishments of women in engineering and technology in the region.
Bongekile is a 2021 Mandela Washington Fellow and a recipient of the Blue Sheroe Award in 2021 for her brave leadership and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a Humphrey Fellow, Bongekile will build connections between U.S. and international professionals to advance solutions to the most pressing global challenges, from developing technology policy to protecting human rights and strengthening global health security. She plans to grow her knowledge and experience to support the global energy transition and development of efficient green energy initiatives in Eswatini and beyond.