About

WHO WE ARE

Black Women in Science (BWIS) is a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to delivering capacity development interventions for young Black women scientists and researchers.

Founded in 2015 by Ndoni Mcunu, BWIS was born out of a need to address the unique challenges faced by Black women in academia and the broader scientific community.

Purpose

BWIS is committed to developing professional research capabilities, ethical scientific conduct, leadership, and mentorship skills among women across all scientific disciplines. We work with individuals in tertiary institutions and professional environments, both nationally and internationally.

Our mission is to promote a strong postgraduate culture among African students and to enhance their academic journeys by providing meaningful support, targeted training, access to professional networks, and exposure to opportunities.

Values

Integrity
We uphold honesty and ethical conduct in all our operations. Integrity is the foundation of our organisational culture and value system.

Hard Work, Commitment & Determination
We believe that success is driven by dedication, perseverance, and a strong work ethic.

Excellence
We strive for distinction in both academic and professional pursuits, encouraging women to reach their highest potential.

Why BWIS Matters

Globally, women make up 54% of all STEM graduates. However, South Africa significantly lags behind, with only 13% of women holding STEM degrees. When viewed alongside the country’s historical inequalities, this highlights ongoing challenges slow transformation, underrepresentation, and limited access to mentorship for Black women in science.

This “leaky pipeline” was something our founder, Ndoni Mcunu, experienced firsthand during her academic journey toward her PhD. Determined to create meaningful and lasting change, she established BWIS to not only address these systemic barriers but also to build a supportive platform for growth, connection, and advancement.

Our Approach

BWIS creates an enabling ecosystem for Black women in science by addressing these challenges through our Fellowship and Membership programmes. Through these initiatives, we provide mentorship, professional development, and a strong network that empowers women to thrive in their scientific careers.

VISION

To demystify science for black women and girls so that they are empowered to unlock their full potential of scientific discovery.

We will achieve this by establishing and enabling their access to locally relevant training and research opportunities for global impact; increasing their ownership of businesses and startups with an international footprint and creating network platforms to bring together scientists from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

MISSION

We will achieve our vision by:

Advocating for mainstreaming national science teaching institutions with black girls while campaigning for the proliferation of quality science education institutions to accommodate growing numbers of students;
Ensuring that science curricula and research is responsive tothe everyday problems faced by women specifically and communities in general, through engaging stakeholders and leaders in academia and science institutions;
Creating programmes that will enable women members to own and/or lead science businesses that have global impact and repute.