Grace is a civil engineer and project management professional with experience working on infrastructure projects across East Africa. She talks about her work, which spans engineering design, project execution, and coordination across multidisciplinary teams:
Hi Grace. We welcome you to Words That Count today. Thank you for joining us
Thank you for the warm welcome. I am happy to be here.
Please give us a brief introduction about yourself before we dive into the details of what you do
My name is Grace Mukii Nzivo. I am a Kenyan based in Beijing, China, currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Energy and Power Engineering at Tsinghua University. Here, I am expanding my expertise at the intersection of infrastructure, energy systems, and sustainable development. My academic work builds on seven years of experience in civil engineering and project management, during which I have contributed to the design, coordination, and delivery of infrastructure projects across the East African region.
Beyond my technical work, I am passionate about creating opportunities for the next generation of engineers. I am the Founder of STEM Handisi Africa, a STEM-inspired organization that empowers young girls and youth to pursue STEM subjects. I use this platform to contribute to conversations about building a more inclusive and future-ready engineering workforce across Africa.
Likewise, I am the Next Einstein Forum Ambassador for Kenya under the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS).
Thank you for the wonderful work you do to support young girls and women in STEM. It is very inspirational.
Tell us about your journey into engineering; why civil engineering?
My mother played a big role in terms of me becoming an engineer. She used to share stories about a female water engineer who was from a neighbouring village. I listened to these stories several times to the point that they became implanted in my head. Generally speaking, that’s how my engineering journey started. That, in addition to the push to work hard from both of my parents.
I also attribute this career path to my ability to do well in the STEM subjects. This boosted the direction of my career path. My teachers were also supportive and really cheered me along the way from primary school to high school.
Everything else has evolved from this, moving forward up to where I am today.
So, after graduating from high school with good grades, I pursued civil engineering at Kenyatta University. Upon graduating, I started working in the steel manufacturing industry for over seven years. I focused on heavy- and light-gauge steel structures.
What are some of the challenges you have faced along your civil engineering career journey?
It is one thing to be in a male-dominated field. It’s a completely different thing to work in steel manufacturing. Really, there are no women! All the time, you are the only one.
Over the 7 years, I had only one time with a lady colleague in a technical role similar to mine. We have to work possibly three times as hard.
Also, being young, it’s easy to be underestimated. One interesting time I remember communicating with a certain client regarding a project we were working on at the national airport. We could speak via email and phone calls, and we could agree on so many things. So, one day, he wanted to visit the site, and as usual, I gave him directions to where I was parked.
When he arrived, despite explaining clearly that I was in the project double cabin, he bypassed me. After finally capturing his attention, he commented. “The voice on the phone and the person don’t look/sound the same”. He couldn’t believe it was me whom he had been speaking to all this time. I had to brush it off and keep going.
The daily mansplaining and underestimation are real; you either make peace with it or quit. It happens all the time. There is also a prevailing expectation that women should be ‘nice’, accept unfair pay, endure discomfort or overload, stay quiet in meetings, and always speak softly. Sadly, I have faced sexual harassment from a boss, too.
The biggest challenge I, however, faced was a job loss during COVID.
Looking back, my career path wasn’t aligned with what I had envisioned after graduation. There are detours that I have faced, like job loss and unhealthy work environments. Despite these, I have kept going.
How have you been able to keep moving forward in the presence of such strong challenges?
My conviction: there is more in Grace than just this. I am determined to make a greater impact through my STEM and leadership skills. My parents believe in me so much, too! Like, “our girl can change the world” kind of belief.
I also have a tendency of not giving up. I shoot my shot. We miss some, we hit some, we have our crying session; we stand up and keep going. Before I came to graduate school, I had missed another scholarship opportunity that made me cry so much. I had applied for it four times! That means four years of trying over and over again. I was literally crying while applying for it this last time. Then, just like that, I was accepted because I didn’t give up.
I also have great mentor friends who share inspiring journeys with me. That also gives me a boost to keep going in everything I do.
Let us talk about some of the most prestigious moments you have had on this civil engineering journey
I was part of the team for a COVID-19 isolation ward, a project that gave my engineering a lot of meaning. I have done ten times bigger projects, but this 100-bed ward was important and meaningful. It decongested the already full wards of the existing hospital.
I was humbled when the African Union selected me as a STEM Ambassador due to my passion for engineering and promoting STEM education among girls. It was a moment of, “Oh, somebody has been watching”. Which makes me tell people, do good, the universe will give it back.
I have received many humbling recognitions. For example, I am a YALI fellow: civic leadership cohort. I was nominated among the Top 100 influential engineers in Africa by the Federation of African Engineering Organizations. Here, I emerged 3rd in Africa.
I am an under-30 breaking barriers award recipient from Mawazo Institute. As mentioned earlier, I am currently the Next Einstein Forum Ambassador for Kenya, under AIMS. Through this role, I have spearheaded the Africa Science Week in Kenya.
I am also a two-time grant award winner.
My graduate school scholarship is also a prestigious win from the Chinese Government.
I have served three times as a judge for the World Robot Olympiad and various hackathons. I am also a frequent speaker across multiple platforms and was Vice Chair of the Future Leaders Committee at the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (2022–2024).
How do you spend your time outside of all civil engineering-related walls?
I am a great cook, maybe I could be a chef in another life, lol.
I love sharing my knowledge with others. So I mentor others during my free time. That is why I run STEM Handisi Africa. I love it, it gives my engineering more meaning. At least for once am not focusing on the earned value curve of the project, but rather on real people who start to believe in themselves. This could be because I shared either my story or another person’s story with them.
I am currently the Next Einstein Forum ambassador for Kenya at AIMS. I have run one of the most impactful projects, the Africa Science Week, which impacts over 1000 girls and youth around my country.
What is your favourite quote?
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples” ~ Martha Teresa.
What is your word of encouragement for a young girl who is interested in civil engineering?
If I am standing here today – a Kenyan woman, a civil engineer, a founder, a scholar at Tsinghua, then so can you. Follow that inner voice that keeps saying you can be more; hold on to it. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Thank you, Grace, for sharing your journey into civil engineering and the impact you are making in this field. We wish you the very best with your studies. Looking forward to celebrating you more soon.
