FEB 21- Highway DBN

Passion and purpose
Qualified electrical engineer and business analyst Kamentha Pillay believes every
young girl has the ability to enter any field of her choice, even a male-dominated one.
Text: Bronwyn forbes-hardinge
An advocate for greater female
representation in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths (STEM),
Kamentha wants parents to see the
opportunities STEM careers offer and
encourage their daughters to pursue
fields in maths and science. “We need
to create confidence amongst our
girls, help them to realise that their
dreams are valid, to be brave enough
to grab opportunities that come their
way.’
A Mrs SA finalist, wife and mother of
two, Kamentha tells us why she chose
to follow a profession that so many
still view as a male career. “Career
choices became serious in Grade 10
when I started attending career expos.
There was a lot of awareness in the
early 2000’s around engineering and a
greater intake of female candidates. In
order to get a clearer understanding
of engineering, I shadowed a
technician at a local production plant.”
During this visit a male supervisor
indicated that he ‘didn’t feel this
was a place for women’. “The
defining moment for me was an
uncomfortable discussion with my
guidance counsellor, who expressed
concern as to whether I would be
suited to a career in engineering as
a woman. I’m not certain if I simply
interpreted her question as doubt in
my ability or if I had become tired of
hearing so many people reminding
me how difficult engineering would
be and the overarching feeling that
women did not belong.
“I took this as a personal challenge
- to represent women in a maledominated
field seemed almost
heroic then. Those two moments are
the ones I hold onto, even now years
later, when I’m still fighting the good
fight to prove that there is a place for
women in STEM.”
Kamentha with
her daughter Nia,
son Sumeeran and
husband Pooven
Photo credit:
Rohini Jagath
Entering Mrs South Africa
Becoming one of 25 finalists in the Mrs SA 2020 pageant was one of the most
unexpected journeys she has embarked on, says Kamentha, and one that
changed her in a most significant way. “At the beginning of 2020 I wanted to
focus more on spreading my STEM advocacy work to a larger audience. I came
across a call for entry on my Instagram feed and, after realising I met all the entry
requirements and that there was a very clear focus on women’s empowerment,
which links directly to my advocacy work, I was intrigued to see whether this
could be the platform to speak about STEM to a new audience.”
Kamentha considered what it would mean for others if someone like her were
to progress in the competition. “It could show women, mothers and my own
daughter that there is no ‘typical’ or ‘acceptable’ norm of what women should
consider to be beautiful…or ‘certain areas’ that we would need to shy away from.
Ironically, there are parallels to the stereotypes within pageants and in the STEM
industry. As females entering male-dominated fields there are huge challenges
over equal pay, the same opportunities, or even being taken seriously within
our careers and the maternal penalty we experience when we choose to pursue
families over our careers. It’s a topic we don’t give enough attention to in SA ...
and I’m here to do that. We need to stop limiting ourselves and learn to embrace
all that we are - and to integrate our lives more so that we all gain more joy in our
careers, from our children, and our passions.’
44 Get It • Highway • Berea • Durban North February 2021