“Education is the key to every success. Without education, no woman can hope to improve her lot and the lot of her family. In fact, it's through education that one can have the  opportunity to pave a bright future and contribute towards the development of the society, ” says Nedjema Chaabane Rajah, who is also biology lecturer, working at the Ibn Sina Academic Research Centre, in Quatre Bornes.

Take her case itself. She admits she would not have gone anywhere in life had it not been for education. She was born  in Batna, Algeria. Her father  passed away when she was ten. It's thanks to the efforts of her parents, particularly her mother and her elder sister Khadidja that she had her basic education and  later went to the University of Algeria in 1984 where she completed the  Diplome d’Etudes Supérieures en Biologie Animale (D.E.S). Education meant everything to her. She had understood a good education background was the key to a better life and a better understanding of the world, its politics, economics and social standing.

In 1985, she went to the UK and took an English Language Proficiency course at the Centre of Applied Languages, Reading University. The idea was to hone her skills in both written and spoken English. Later on, she got a scholarship from the Algerian Government to do a Masters of Science in Cell Biology at the University of Glasgow. She completed her MSc in 1987.

“ I can tell you that I value education above everything. I believe women can only  achieve personal and professional success and explore their full potentials in society through education. A good education, with a good dose of balanced extra curricular activities, is always needed to assure one's personal development. I believe that learning is infinite, a never-ending process, ”she adds.

Nedjema has also worked as a Biology Lecturer at the University of Bejaia, Algeria from 1989-2004. She even did research in Laboratory of Immunology and Applied Biochemistry at the University of Setif, Algeria, worked on bone cell culture and behaviour on biodegradable matrices at the Centre for the Cell Engineering, Glasgow University, and she prepared the syllabus for communication skills, Arabic language at Ibn Sina, Academic Research Centre. She is today regarded highly amidst education circles both in her home country and in Mauritius where she lives with her husband Hoossain Rajah whom she married in 2004.

According to Nedjema, globally, women are not given equal opportunities. This explains why  very few women are at the top. She thinks a lot has to be done to empower them, particularly those in the lower strata of employment.

She's happy that the Mauritian Government has initiated an empowerment programme to assist women to start  small and medium enterprises. It is also making funds available to start their businesses. “It's a good initiative. Even the civil society can help to improve a lot of needy women through corporate social responsibility in poverty alleviation. For example,  firms may allocate a part of their profits towards empowering women. I think the private sector should take the lead to promote more women at the executive levels,” she adds
Nedjema admits that the value of work in the society has changed. It's not like the olden days when men used to work and women looked after their homes and families. People are more materialistic. One has to work to survive the harsh economic realities.

“All of us have to adjust to the changing realities. Working women will have to cope with their duties at work and responsibilities towards their families. I think employers should provide more facilities to working mothers having small children. For example, they can have a place for the children to stay when the mothers are at work. This will also help mothers to see their kids and feed them whenever the need arises. I think flexible hours should become a common practice at work places,” she says.