African Women in Europe (AWE) event

Making a difference and effecting positive changes in communities is part of our equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy here at the NIHR Sheffield Clinical Research Facility (CRF).

On Saturday 2 November 2024, Faith Kibutu (Senior Research Sister) and Masiratu Sulemana (Research Nurse), attended the African Women in Europe (AWE) UK Chapter event in Stevenage.  They attended with colleagues from the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Olivia Adolphus (Research Sister) and Ruth Yedu (Bioresource Clinical Trials Assistant).

The AWE 2024 event is an annual flagship gathering that celebrates and empowers African women entrepreneurs and professionals living in Europe. With the theme 'Be the Difference and Build', this year's event aimed to inspire attendees to create positive change and leave a lasting impact in their communities. The event featured workshops, seminars and networking opportunities. A prestigious dinner, fashion show and dance followed in the evening to celebrate the African women for being the difference.

Faith Kibutu presented at this event and hoped to educate and raise awareness with her presentation on 'Engagement of Ethnic Minority Communities in Clinical Trials'. The presentation was well received by attendees and Faith commented "I was amazed by the level of engagement from our presentation and at our research stand. The verbal feedback we received on the day was just as inspiring. It was empowering to stand together as a research team from both the CRF and BRC, amplifying awareness of research within our community of African women. I am looking forward to continuing this journey and seizing future opportunities to foster research awareness within our communities."

Feedback received from the event echoed this. Ann Milkah N Muigai (African Women in Europe UK Coordinator) advised "we've received numerous requests to continue this important conversation through additional events and forums, which speaks volumes about the impact of your leadership and the relevance of your message. Many attendees specifically mentioned how your professional insights as a clinical research nurse specialist provided a unique perspective that bridged the gap between medical research and community engagement. Your first-hand experiences working with patients from diverse backgrounds added credibility and practical context that truly resonated with our audience. Your commitment to addressing the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in clinical research, combined with your practical suggestions for community involvement, has created a ripple effect among our members."

We hope to continue this journey here in the NIHR Sheffield CRF and continue to work closely with local communities.